


For the Greater Good

by sapphirerose1990



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Adult Frisk (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Monsters Weren't Sealed Underground, F/F, F/M, Female Hysteria, Fluff and Smut, Interspecies Relationship(s), My Own Version of Asylumtale, Slow Burn, early 20th century, insane asylum, lunatic asylum
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-11-22
Packaged: 2020-10-04 18:48:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 54,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20475824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sapphirerose1990/pseuds/sapphirerose1990
Summary: Ebott City, 191X. Fresh from university, Doctor Sans Gaster is ready to become an alienist. He studied hard, knows his facts, but lacks the experience that should go with it. Now working as an apprentice at Ebott City’s lunatic asylum, things are not going as he imagined. For what is insanity? What is madness? What is good? What is evil? Since meeting Frisk, everything he knew changes.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story has been long in the making, ever since I was inspired over a year ago. It is the largest fanfic I have ever written and I am quite proud of it and I hope that you readers will enjoy it too. Considering the difficult subject, some things like the early medical practices and attitudes are evident in this story. It takes place during the early 20th Century and with it, the early ideas. However at this time, mental health care was starting to change and improve. It was the turning point, between the past and the present. Anyway, thank you for reading and I hope that this story is to your liking.

“It is my esteemed scientific opinion, that human beings are fragile creatures.” Doctor Gaster said, lecturing as he walked down the hallway with his son following close behind. “My colleagues might disagree but I have found that while their souls are of an incredible strength, their bodies are prone to weakness of flesh and mind. That is why we are here Sans, we are the only barrier between the sane and the insane, the weak and the strong. We are the wall of defense for the known world.”

His son nodded in agreement, knowing not to interrupt. Instead, Sans just silently observed it all.

“When a human is brought in, usually by a family member or a mate, it is our job to assess the patient and begin treatment, providing that enough coin is given beforehand. For while our job is to heal the mentally sick and wounded, asylums like ours cost money and therefore, it is important that we give a good impression to our patrons. That means clean and orderly rooms, food provided three times a day and places equal parts recreation and isolation. We have a reputation to uphold.”

Gaster led them around the corner, turning into a hallway that was identical to the last one. Sans sighed, feeling a bit tired and claustrophobic. This floor, unlike the downstairs was like a maze. Every hallway was long and narrow, no wider than an arm’s length and it twisted in so many ways, his skull hurt trying to remember them all. What’s worse is that every so often, a scream pierced the air. It was enough to rattle his bones but his father remained unaffected. Did this happen a lot?

“Being my apprentice is a great honor Sans, so much so that I expect you to be on your best behavior. Papyrus has adapted well but I am aware of your habits. I will not tolerate tardiness or sloppiness of any kind! You will observe me as I make my rounds and, in the evenings, before you leave, I will expect you to feed our multitude of patients, giving them dinner at precisely 5 PM.”  
Sans gave a strained smile, ignoring the insult. “Do not worry, I am capable of being professional.”

Doctor Gaster looked down at his son, narrowing his eye sockets. “I expect to see great things from you, Sans. Papyrus might have a good disposition to be a caretaker, being both strong and obedient, but I have higher expectations for you. From the multitude of tests given, you are shown to be intelligent and on par with my own genius. That is why I have decided that you are going to be my heir apparent. Someday you will take my place but until then, I have so much to teach you.”

They had stopped in front of an empty room with its door wide open. Two monsters came down the hallway, one was a huge bipedal wolf named Goliath, the other, Aaron a muscular, fishtailed horse who helped him carry a wardrobe into the room. A bed had already been placed in the corner, alongside a wooden table and a chair. Everything was minimalistic, with no sharp corners to harm a patient. Sans watched them with a neutral expression, while Wingdings Gaster observed his son.

“We are expecting a new patient today, a young woman named Frisk.” Gaster explained, when Sans did not answer. “Her escort is her fiancé, a Mr. Arthur Ward, a well-known member of the gentry who has great relations with Frisk’s family, Lord and Lady Fanshaw. The Fanshaws, while esteemed members of the peerage and holders of a title, are poor, with little money to their name. Mr. Ward’s marriage to Ms. Fanshaw looked to be a good match but the young woman’s condition has made things more complicated. I have yet to diagnose her but her symptoms do give me clues.”

Sans looked at his father curiously, “What do ya think is wrong with her? What clues did ya see?”

Doctor Gaster ignored the questions and took out his pocket watch, “How time does fly! Come, Sans! We are needed in the lobby. We are running behind schedule today and we must now hurry!”

Ending the tour early, Sans followed his father as they raced back down the elevator and returned to the first floor. Sitting in their lobby’s couch was a distinguished looking gentleman, dressed in the finest suit money could buy, complete with top hat and cane. He gripped hard to a small woman, presumably Frisk Fanshaw who looked both terrified and furious. She kept on pulling away but Mr. Ward did not let her go and when she tried to bite him, he smacked her with his cane.

“Doctor Gaster, at last!” Mr. Ward exclaimed, standing up. “I would go over and shake your hand but alas I am otherwise occupied at the moment. I have come to place my fiancé in your care. My darling Frisk, as you can see, is not well. She refuses to let me touch her and if I offer her so much as a kiss, she tries to attack me like an animal! I have tried everything I can think of, doctor. I have tried wooing her with the romantic arts, I have tried to discipline her and her father has even threatened to disown her if she does not marry me but as you can see, she still refuses to submit!”

The two skeleton doctors went over to the woman, inspecting her closely. When she turned away, Gaster grabbed her chin and forced Frisk to look him in the eye socket. Frisk protested at the rough treatment but the harder she struggled, the harder he held onto her until finally, he made a sound as if confirming his suspicions. Sans clenched his jaw, wondering if he should intervene. The scars and bruises on her neck disturbed him greatly but his dad remained indifferent to her obvious pain.

After a minute, Gaster looked at Mr. Ward and smiled. “This seems to be a classic case of hysteria.”

Mr. Ward frowned, “Hysteria? Is it…contagious?”

“Of course not.” Gaster said reassuringly, “Hysteria is a common disorder that affects the females of your species. You sir, are completely safe! The symptoms for hysteria can include nervousness, irritable outbursts, fainting and in the worst cases, delusions. From what I have found, all of these women have determined souls. I believe females simply cannot handle the strain of determination.” 

“Do not listen to him!” Frisk protested, fiercely. “He is the crazy one! Look at what he did to me!”

Mr. Ward raised his hand to hit Frisk again but Gaster replied calmly, “Now, now…there is no need to resort to violence. All I have to do is use blue magic and she will be safely contained as we move her to her room. My apprentice, Sans will escort her there while we finish up the paperwork. I suspect that you want her back as soon as possible, willing and ready to marry you?”

The gentleman grinned, “Of course, that is all I have ever wanted!”

“Wonderful! Then we will discuss the terms of your payment!” Gaster said cheerfully.

Despite Frisk struggling and trying to pull away, Gaster remained passive. He waved his hand over the air and suddenly Frisk stopped struggling. Her whole body was rigid, glowing blue with only her eyes betraying her fear. Gaster lifted her up with his magic and handed Frisk over to his son, looking bored. “Sans, please take Ms. Fanshaw to room 313. I showed it to you earlier, if you recall. It is ready now and after we discuss payment, I will have someone bring up her belongings.”

Sans nodded, obediently taking control of the blue magic and guiding the woman down the hall. Despite his willingness to comply, his own soul felt conflicted. How could his father be so callous? As gently as he could, Sans released her from the blue magic’s hold the moment they arrived to her room and Frisk fell to the floor, trying to get her bearings. “Where am I? What was that power?”

“That power is blue magic.” Sans explained kindly, “It will not hurt you. Skeleton monsters use it to transport others all the time. It merely keeps you from hurting yourself. We will not use it often.”

Frisk slowly regained her footing, her eyes full of rage. “It should not be used at all! Forcing someone to go somewhere is not right! If Arthur thinks bringing me to the crazy house will make me more compliant then he is wrong! I refuse to be his wife! I refuse to be his slave and plaything! Don’t you understand what happened? Father needed money, so he sold me to be Arthur’s fiancé!”

“Sold is a harsh word.” Sans mused, shrugging. “Perhaps you only misunderstood the situation?”

The woman snorted in contempt while Sans tried again. “Well, maybe Mr. Ward’s actions were uncalled for but surely your father meant well? Most people would say that you could learn to love him or that Mr. Ward could change. If anything, his wealth can save you and your family from debtor’s prison or the work house. Surely, that would seem like a very lucky occurrence for you?”

“Lucky?” Frisk laughed bitterly, “Is that what you think I am? Am I lucky that I am here against my will? Am I lucky that my sanity is being questioned? I will not marry that self-absorbed fool to save my own skin! Human or monster, men are the same! No interest in a woman’s well being!”

Her sharp reply made Sans backtrack. “Miss Frisk, that came out harsher than I intended and I am sorry if I minimalized your pain. I only meant that other people would usually think that…not me.”

Frisk paused, studying the skeleton with intense eyes. Not used to such attention, Sans blushed but did not look away, mesmerized by her eyes and the way she did not flinch away at his boney form. Finally, deciding to trust him, she spoke. “Since I was a child, I was raised with the notion of being obedient, cultured and dignified. I tried to meet my parents’ expectations; I really did…but all that changed when Arthur came with an offer of marriage. He hit me on my first refusal and strangled me on the second, but still nobody took my side. Father thought I was being stubborn, so he let Arthur take me here…but I know my fate. Aunt Martha was sent to Ebott Asylum too because she saw things that were not there. She was not crazy, just lonely and eccentric. Aunty returned empty.”

Sadness overtook the woman. Tears streamed down her cheeks as Frisk looked at Sans, begging him to understand. “Is it wrong to refuse marriage from your abuser? Will I break, just like her?”

“I only want to help ya, kiddo.” Sans reassured, “Mental illness can take many different forms but there is nothing to fear. I promise to protect ya and keep ya from harm. We must trust each other.”

The human did not answer. She did not even seem to be listening. Frisk merely turned away from him and faced the wall, her head on her pillow. She curled up with her covers and cried. Sobs came from the young woman and as he sat opposite, Sans felt pity wretch his soul. Not even Frisk’s brave words could disguise her obvious fear and that was making him wonder. Was this normal? Was this normal for asylum doctors? To witness the terror of their patients and to make false promises? Frisk seemed to be telling the truth. The evidence of her abuse was very obvious by the bruises on her neck, but only a foolish doctor would believe everything he saw. Nothing was ever as it seemed, so what was the truth? Where were the lies? Sans sighed wearily and got up to leave. “I will be back.” He promised, “Even if ya do not believe me, I will keep an eye socket on ya, kid.”

Frisk made no reply…not that he was expecting one, of course.

Frowning, the young skeleton rubbed his skull and tried to get ahold of himself. This was not how a proper doctor should act! He must be calm, cool, and impartial. The elder Gaster would never let his emotions get in the way of his judgement! Heading back towards the lobby, Sans noticed his father coming from the opposite direction. “This is a good day, my boy! A good day indeed!” Gaster declared, “Mr. Ward intends to pay us 25,000 gold for the cure and treatment of Ms. Fanshaw! At this rate, we shall be the richest monsters in town! My retirement is now imminent!”

Sans paused, his mouth gaping in surprise. “25,000 gold! That is five times the normal amount for a patient’s treatment! That is unthinkable! Is it really because Mr. Ward wants Frisk as his wife?”

Doctor Gaster shrugged, “It appears so, which is idiotic really. It is like I told you earlier Sans, humans are weak in both flesh and mind. Mr. Ward is controlled by his lust for Ms. Fanshaw and a desire for control. He could have chosen another female but instead, his fixation makes us rich.”

“25,000 gold!” Sans repeated, “What does Mr. Ward hope to achieve with all that money? We are not miracle workers! Money will not help Frisk get better any quicker, it might make it all worse.”

“Mr. Ward informed me that the wedding will be in a week’s time.” Gaster replied coolly, “So, I have given my assurances that Ms. Fanshaw will be ready for matrimony in that time. Female hysteria is nothing like Alzheimer’s disease or schizophrenia. It is curable and there are many methods to quell a female’s determined soul. I have full confidence I can mold her into obedience.”

Sans frowned, not sure if he liked the sound of that. “So…um…what exactly are these methods?”

“Humans have thought of marvelous techniques to deal with these unruly females.” Gaster explained, smiling widely. “Isolation, hypnosis and drugging with opiates if they become too rebellious but the Science Academy has proposed hysterical paroxysm to quiet their restless soul.”

Sans frowned, looking embarrassed. “Could ya tell me what that is? My professors only briefly mentioned hysterical paroxysm. They mostly focused on teaching methods to keep patients calm.”

“I am not surprised.” Gaster mused, “That topic is hard to explain to monsters of our race. The human body is very different then our magical skeletal anatomy but hysterical paroxysm is...well, to put simply, the intense massaging of the pelvic region to bring about an orgasm. Human females can be stimulated through the use of high-pressured hoses or if those are unavailable, through the vigorous use of our phalanges. It can be tiresome but researchers are discovering better methods.”

He said it so casually that it took a minute for Sans to understand. His cheekbones turned a bright cyan as he stuttered with outrage. “Ya…c-cannot be serious! If the drugs or i-isolation do not make her submit you are considering…. you are considering molesting her?! That goes against ethics!”

Gaster looked nonplused by the accusation. “Oh, do not be such a child! My actions are purely professional and this is proven scientific data found in medical journals around the world! My goal is to help Ms. Fanshaw get better and if this is the way to do it, then so be it. Believe me Sans, I take no joy in this…untasteful method but we must not let our emotions cloud our judgement. If I felt pity for every patient that went through these doors, nothing would ever get done around here.”

“What if… what if there was a different way…a better way?” Sans asked, keeping his voice even.

Gaster paused, looking at him with renewed interest. “Oh? Pray tell, what is this new better way?”

“While I was in university, I learned of new, alternative theories that could help the fragile mind. With your permission, I would like to try these compassionate methods on Frisk.” Sans requested, ignoring his father’s incredulous look. “I know my residency just started and that my experience is limited but I think it is worth a try. If this experiment does not work, I will not ask you again.”

Gaster looked thoughtful for a moment. “Hmm…interesting. You want to try out new, untested methods on Ms. Fanshaw? Well, I suppose that can be arranged. I like to consider myself a fair monster and this could be a good learning experience. So, how about this? I will give you six days to humanely convince Frisk Fanshaw to marry Mr. Ward. On the seventh day, if she is still refusing matrimony, I will achieve success my way. 25,000 gold is too much money to waste on lessons.”

Sans smiled, “Thank you, dad! Thank you! I will do my best and I will not let ya down, I promise!”

“I am not finished!” Gaster continued, looking annoyed by the interruption. “If you fail to bring Frisk to obedience and if I have to intervene, then you will owe me 25,000 gold out of your own paycheck. Mr. Ward will still pay me but I want additional money from you if you happen to fail. Pain is the backbone of every good lesson, for without it, we would be nothing more than simple beasts forgetting not to touch the fire magic and getting burned in the process of cooking our food. Do you still agree Sans? Do you still think your kind techniques will change the human’s mind?”

His smile falling, Sans gave a nod. “Yes, I agree to your terms. Thank you for the chance to try.”

With the deal made, Gaster seemed to have lost interest. He glanced at his pocket watch and gave Sans a stern look. “It is nearly 5 PM, I suggest you teleport down to the kitchens to fetch our patients their dinner. I am sure that Frisk must be getting hungry and as you know, a human’s mood is often dictated by their stomach. Now make haste! I have some other matters to attend to.”

While his father walked down the hall, the young skeleton did as he was told, teleporting in a flash.


	2. Chapter 2

When Sans teleported down to the first floor, he was met with a completely different atmosphere. Unlike the upper levels, the kitchen was a sort of noisy, organized chaos that seemed to go on at all hours of the day. Toriel Dreemurr was the queen of this realm, being both the head cook and wife of the superintendent and she was a force of nature. Not even Doctor Gaster’s influence could touch here and Toriel ruled with an iron fist, with monsters yelling orders and pans clanging about. Sans walked around the room, remembering his own part in it. Had it really only been a few days?

Froggits and whimsuns eyed him nervously but Sans ignored them. Instead, he turned his attention onto his oldest friend. Toriel was busy, counting plates and looking intent like always. She scolded a clumsy whimsun who dropped a plate but then she stopped, recognizing the observing skeleton. “Sans!” She exclaimed, “My child, how good it is to see you! I missed seeing my favorite busboy.”

Wiping her hands on her apron, Toriel marched over and gave Sans a hug. “Hi Tori,” He said awkwardly, “It is good to see you too. Dad wants me to deliver the food. Is the dinner ready yet?”

The old goat monster gave a disdainful glance at her kitchen staff and as if on cue, a whimsum dropped another plate. “Slowly but surely, we are getting there.” Toriel said, but then she smiled, “But enough about that, how was your day? This apprenticeship must be an improvement after working the kitchens for a month. You were anxious but I knew Doctor Gaster would not forget.” 

“Well, you were right, like always.” Sans admitted, giving a half-hearted shrug. 

His somber expression made Toriel pause. She gestured towards her personal office and the skeleton followed close behind. Shutting the door on some curious froggits, Toriel turned her full attention on the skeleton. “You look troubled. Did something bad happen? Can I be of assistance?”

Sans paused, looking uncertain but his friend smiled encouragingly. “It is not that somethin’ bad happened…it is just…well, I feel a bit disappointed. Ever since I was a baby bones, I wanted to be just like the amazing Doctor Gaster. Dad is a legend in Ebott City. Everybody knows his name but since becoming his apprentice, he just insults me. He scoffs at new ideas and gives me the task of food delivery boy, even when my skills can be better used. To him, I am just a lazy, stupid child.”

“Well, today is only your first day.” Toriel reminded him, “Getting used to him on a professional level takes time. Your father is not a very trusting monster and of course, there is the matter of his condition. You might not be aware of this Sans, but since your mother fell down, his EXP has risen and with a higher LV, he is unpredictable. His genius aside, I advise caution in dealing with him.”

Sans scowled in contempt, “Why should I be careful? I am not afraid of him or his high EXP! He should not use mom’s death as an excuse to be rude or indifferent. It insults my mom’s memory!”

Toriel stood and listened patiently as Sans vented. He was frustrated and her soul ached for him.

“Why is he arrogant?” The skeleton complained. “He is cold, callous and prideful! Why, just today an abused woman, having all the signs of female hysteria, came here with her arranged match. My dad could prevent the fiancé from hurting her but no, instead he would rather force her obedience!”

Toriel winced sympathetically. “Oh, that poor child! How I do wish the world was a kinder place. We cannot control another’s actions, so we must be better people in their stead…but it is not easy.”

“It will be better!” Sans said decidedly, “I will make sure it is! With my dad’s permission, I am taking over Frisk’s case and planning to heal her myself. There were bruises on that girl’s neck, Tori! I suspect her hysteria was caused by the repeated abuse and while some doctors can be bribed to look away, I will never turn my back on people who need me. Ya probably think I am naïve.”

“You are far from naïve, my child but you assume the usual ways are all bad.” The old monster said gently, “Ebott Asylum is a safe place for these people to end up. You say that Doctor Gaster is cruel but humans are the cruel ones. They kill each other in wars, they let the poorest and weakest among them starve. Regardless of his high EXP, you cannot deny the good your father has done.”

“Maybe so but Tori, when they were released, did the hysterical woman seem better?” Sans asked.

“I…I assume so.” The older monster hesitated, “They must have been! For why would your father discharge hysterical patients if they were anything less than improved? I am almost certain of it.”

Sans shook his head defiantly, “I am not convinced. Female hysteria can be cured and with the six days he gave me, I vow to help Frisk in her recovery! She will soon be happy and healthy again!”

Tori placed a hand over her mouth to keep from giggling. “That is quite a promise!” She remarked, amusement in her voice. “Frisk must be a special girl if she inspires you to rebel against your dad.”

“Frisk makes me feel brave.” Sans admitted, “Her fearlessness was unexpected for such a newly appointed lunatic patient but it was inspiring. She was not frightened by my monstrous appearance. She did not attack me. She did not even speak in the usual nonsensical sentences! Instead, our brief conversation focused only on her Aunt Martha who was also committed to this asylum and how Frisk believes the woman had changed for the worse. I do not know the whole story and it could be all lies but I sense a loving, gentleness in her soul, underneath all the determination. It just makes me so frustrated and confused. Why would her fiancé hit her? Frisk deserves a better mate.”

Toriel chuckled, noticing the skeleton’s dreamy look. “I bet Frisk is a pretty young woman too!”

“Frisk is a handsome woman,” Sans admitted, his cheekbones dusted cyan. “The loveliest I have ever seen, but it does not matter. Plenty of beautiful women have suffered from this hysteria before. What bothered me is that dad wanted to treat her with the traditional, barbaric human methods from the 19th century! Dad thinks that the excess determination is what causes female hysteria but he does not bother to fix the problem. That is why I volunteered…but I need to think of new ideas.”

Toriel looked thoughtful. “Well…music can help calm the soul and laughter is the best medicine.”

Sans hesitated, “Laughter, huh? I guess I could try puns, even if dad says they are unprofessional.”

Leaving the office, Toriel went to the icebox and retrieved a slice of her famous butterscotch and cinnamon pie. Sans looked at it confused, but Toriel explained. “Despite my initial reservations, I think you have made a valid point, my friend. You have a gentle soul too, so earn Frisk’s trust with your kindness. Here, give her this pastry as a peace offering. It has some magic to make her feel better. I might be just a cook but at least my skills can make that young woman’s life a bit easier.”

Sans accepted the pie and grinned, “Tori, did I tell you how amazing you are? Thank you so much!”

“I am happy to help. Good luck my friend.” Toriel said affectionately. Sans gave her a hug, before going to push the dinner cart out the doorway and into the nearby elevator. The clock struck 5 PM.  
With time being of the essence, Sans had to hurry through his rounds. Their asylum was not a big one but the second and third floor humans needed food before they got rowdy. He purposely avoided the fourth floor, remembering the lesson that Gaster instilled in him. The fourth-floor humans were aggressive; full of psychopaths, rapists and murderers, all waiting to dust him on sight. Strong blue magic was always required but in comparison, the other patients were harmless. 

The night nurses passed him on the way, distributing the usual pills but because Frisk was under his care, she was to be clear headed. It took forever to reach room 313 but when he did, he suddenly felt nervous and bashful. His soul fluttered in his ribcage and he felt giddy from the new sensation. Frowning, he tried to ignore the feeling that was welling up inside him and instead focused on seeing Frisk. He mentally prepared himself for any tears or hysterical ranting but when Frisk opened the door, she was calm. Her eyes were dry, if not a little red from earlier. Sans paused, feeling unsure of how to begin but he smiled anyway, “Heya Frisk! How are ya feeling? I hope you are hungry. I would have arrived a bit earlier but the other patients were very chatty tonight.”

Frisk made no comment, her neutral expression not leaving her face. Instead, she sat at her table and looked at the food that Sans served her. She reached for the bread and glanced at Sans as she took a bite. She chewed it slowly, then swallowed. “So, is there an ulterior motive for you being here? Do you like watching me eat or are you waiting for the sedative in my food to take affect?”

Taken off guard, Sans frantically shook his skull. “No, of course not! I would never sedate you! It is just, well, I brought ya a surprise, butterscotch and cinnamon pie. My friend Tori is the cook and she made ya this treat. It tastes wonderful and the magical properties will heal your injuries.”

Frisk looked at the pie suspiciously, “How can a slice of pie heal wounds? I am not some lackwit.”

Sans shrugged, “Normally we serve ya human food, since your bodies need it to survive but our monster food will do you no harm. There may be no vitamins or calories but the magic can heal any wound, whether it is a paper cut or a fractured bone. I promised I would help ya and I really meant it. In fact, I asked my father if I could be the one who was in charge of your treatment here.”

“Why? Why do you want to help me? What’s in it for you?” Frisk demanded, her eyes narrowing.

For a minute Sans looked uncertain, his cheekbones were flushed and she was looking at him so intently, it was making him sweat. Finally, he gave a nervous swallow. “I think you deserve better.”

Frisk frowned, looking confused. “Why? You barely know me.”

“I know enough.” Sans clarified. “Kiddo, I know ya have been treated badly…perhaps for a very long time, but I have hope that things can change. It was wrong of Mr. Ward to hurt ya and I hate seeing innocent people be abused and manipulated for another’s gain. Hysteria is complicated and I never meant to be insensitive. I am still kinda new at this and it can be confusing. I want my father’s respect but he is callous and cruel…things I never want to be. So, I ask your forgiveness.”

The woman frowned, “You still think I am hysterical. So again, why would you want to help me?”

“Because I want you to be happy, is that so hard to believe?” Sans growled, hurt by the accusation.

Frisk shrugged, taking a bite of her pie. “I am not sure what I believe…but I have nothing to lose…” Her words trailed off as the pie touched her lips. She smiled, her eyes full of delight as she devoured the pie and felt the effects immediately. Sans gave a satisfied smile as her bruises faded.

“See? I knew ya would like it!” Sans gloated, noticing as her little pink tongue ran along her lips and disappeared into her mouth. He coughed, feeling flustered. “Butterscotch and cinnamon pie is Toriel’s specialty. Monster food heals the health points or HP of any person, regardless of species.”

“Hmm, you don’t say?” Frisk said, looking at the now empty plate. “Does it heal the mind too?”

Sans shook his head, “While it heals physical injuries, it does nothing for the soul or the mind. Humans are complicated. Your souls have more strength and power than even a monster’s soul.”

“I do not feel very powerful.” Frisk said doubtfully, “Souls are just make-believe things anyway.”

She went to sit on her bed and Sans joined her. “Things are not always as they appear. Have ya ever noticed that your eyes turn red when you are feeling angry or emotional? The eyes are the windows to the soul and your soul is fueled by determination, which is rare among women. That is how my dad deduced you have hysteria. Your red soul is even stronger than some human souls!”

Frisk scowled, “Now I know you are pulling my leg! My eyes are dark brown, not red. Stop lying!”

Sans hesitated, seeming to think it over. “I can prove it! I can show ya your soul, if ya want. It will not hurt and feels a bit like blue magic but instead of being frozen, it will feel like floating on air.”

“Very well doctor, if you want to show me my soul, by all means.” Frisk agreed. “Let us see it!”

The skeleton nodded and after taking a deep breath to summon his magic, his eyes started glowing cyan. He waved his hand over Frisk’s body, not touching her physically but close enough that he started pulling and tugging at her soul. For a minute nothing happened but with a faint pop, a red soul floated out in front of them. It was nearly transparent, gleaming like the finest ruby under the harsh lights of the room. It pulsed under Sans’ touch and he smiled, admiring it for all that it was, noting its beauty and transfixed by its inner warmth. Frisk was spellbound by her glowing essence.

The woman could feel the magic but it was strange. She felt as if she were in two places at once. It did not hurt but Frisk could feel Sans’ holding her close, as if she were a baby bird that had fallen out of the nest. “So, do ya believe me now?” Sans asked, returning her soul back to her body.

Frisk placed a hand on her chest, “I believe you.” She breathed, smiling softly. “Was that really my soul? It was beautiful! Are all human souls like that? All colorful and glowing? You said that red was a rare color, do they come in other colors and shapes? What do the others look like? How come only a monster can summon a soul? I had always assumed the legends were metaphorical.”

Sans grinned wryly, “Souls are very real. They are the accumulation of your being. Monsters have souls too but ours are less fancy. Because magic makes up our body, our souls are white and the color that makes up our essence is contained in the magic we wield. You might have noticed that mine is cyan, which is the color of patience. I always wait and think before I make any decisions.”

He waved his arm around, showing the cyan magic flowing through his phalanges. Frisk watched with wide eyes and he gave her a knowing wink, making the woman blush when she realized her staring. 

Sans grinned wryly, “Humans souls are tied to the body through something called the soul tether but the soul itself can be one of six colors. Red souls are determination, cyan is patience, orange is bravery, blue is integrity, purple is perseverance, green is kindness and yellow is justice. Every human has some level of these traits, but the color is determined by which trait is dominant.”

Frisk looked thoughtful, taking in the new information and looking at Sans, with curiosity. “You said that my eyes are the windows to my soul…is that why people are scared of me? As far back as I can remember, whenever I was angry, my friends and family would refuse to look me in the eyes, as if there was something there that scared them. Was that my determination coming out?”

Sans nodded, looking sympathetic. “Yes, but it’s not your fault. Determination can be intimidating. It has the power to create change and well, a lot of folks are scared of change. They do not like it.”

For a while, Frisk was silent. She looked down at the floor, looking at her shoes and unable to see Sans’ expression. “I had no idea. Do they really hate me so much that they would rather hide me away? Am I really such a freak? Is determination so bad, it warrants shuddering from my gaze?”

Taking her hand into his own, Sans looked at Frisk and she met his gaze. “You are not the problem.” He told her firmly, “The problem lies in our society. Even scientists think it is unnatural for females to have red souls, that only men are capable of wielding determination but I disagree. Denying that part of you is like denying my own cyan magic…it can’t be done. If women were allowed to learn about this power, well…I think it would no longer be the cause of their hysteria.”

Startled, Frisk pulled her hand from his and looked shyly away. “I…I will think about what you said.” She mumbled, “For so long, I thought I was merely a woman cursed with bad luck. I thought it was something I did wrong but now, I think there is more to the story. Thank you for telling me.”

“It was the least I could do.” Sans said, getting up. He gathered the dirty plate and smiled softly before turning towards the door. “As for what happened here, please do not tell my dad. In monster culture, it is…inappropriate to touch another’s soul. Some might think my actions were wrong, even if I am your physician. I meant no harm, I just wanted to show ya the truth. You will probably hear that word, determination a lot around here and well…I think it is better that ya knew what you are dealing with. Having all the information makes me feel better when I am feeling anxious.”

For a minute, Sans hesitated. He half expected Frisk to be scandalized by the truth of soul sharing but instead of disgust, Frisk only smiled, her brown eyes looking lost in thought as she curled up in her bed. “In just a few words, you have told me what nobody, not even my own parents bothered to explain to me.” Her voice was low with sleepiness. “No one will know what went on between us this night, you have my word. I am glad you are both my friend and doctor. Goodnight, Sans.”

Giving her a tender smile, Sans quietly left the room. He pulled the empty dinner cart behind him and headed back towards the elevator. His mind wandered as he felt a warmth well up in his soul.


	3. Chapter 3

“Stop yawning Sans!” Doctor Gaster scolded, “It is only 8 AM! You should not be this exhausted.”

The younger skeleton looked wearily at his father and yawned again, this time covering his mouth with his phalanges and smiling sheepishly. “Sorry dad…I am still getting used to the new schedule. When I was a busboy, Tori would always allow me time to sleep in, but don’t worry…I am awake!”

“Mrs. Dreemurr always did allow you too much freedom.” His father complained, but he continued walking towards the locked room. Along with housing the nonviolent patients, the second and third floors each held different rooms were the doctors could perform their medicine. Most were small and unused, the leftovers from the human doctors’ occupation, but this room on the third floor was the largest in the entire asylum. Glancing around, Doctor Gaster unlocked the door and led the way inside. He pressed a button, turned on the lights and then closed the door behind them.

Like most of the asylum, this room was neat and tidy. The tools of their trade were arranged on the shelves and a few larger machines were shoved in the corner. One machine in particular caught Sans’ attention and he studied it, slack jawed. Up until now, he had only seen pictures. “Is that…is that what I think it is?” He asked, looking at his father, who now had a clipboard in his phalanges.

“If you think it is a rotary machine, then you are correct.” Gaster confirmed. “It is no surprise that you have heard of them. Alongside the straight jacket and the confining chair, the rotary machine is one of the most common tools of the asylum doctor’s trade. When Asgore had acquired Ebott Asylum, these tools were left over from when the humans were in charge. They are simple in design but I have heard they were effective. Humans had a strange way of attempting medicine.”

Sans went over and inspected it. It was quite large, with a wooden frame, a swing dangling in the middle and a crank to make the swing move in a circular motion. His father watched him intently.

“So, do you know what this machine is used for?” Gaster asked, when Sans glanced back at him.

“It makes the patient feel dizzy.” The young skeleton replied, looking unsure. He scratched his skull with his phalanges and looked thoughtful. “Humans have this sort of inner ear that creates balance…so when they are spun for a moment, they are unable to focus or walk in a straight line. The symptoms are brief, usually sickness but it tempers the patient, especially if they are violent.”

“That is correct!” Doctor Gaster announced, “I am so pleased that you retained your lessons from university! As you said, the rotary machine makes a human dizzy but while it is an entertaining form of punishment, it was ultimately doomed to fail. No matter how many times it was used, no matter how many times a human threw up, the changes were never permanent. Do you know why?”

“Perhaps it just led to anger?” Sans suggested, “With unstable patients, anger does not help them.”

Doctor Gaster gave a disdainful snort. “A human’s anger can be easily contained. Even an alienist, a human asylum doctor knows that the cure for anger is isolation and further punishment. No, the reason for the failure is that humans have no concept of the nature of souls, nor the power they have over the mental state. They treat souls like a metaphor instead of a true element in medicine.”

Sans nodded, the lights of his eye sockets dim. “So, the humans tortured patients for no reason.”

Doctor Gaster walked around the perimeter of the enclosed space. “Sans, do you know why I chose room 399 to be my office? I chose this room, with all of its human made asylum machines, to reflect upon the alienists of the past. It reminds me of the doctor I want to be, because every day when I look upon the objects at my desk, I think about the choices I have to make. To work in an insane asylum, you have to make difficult choices. Sometimes, these choices are most unpleasant.”

Sans followed his father but paused when he saw a gruesome object on his desk. “So, do these unpleasant choices involves beheading your own kind? ‘Cause that thing looks a lot like a skull.”

“How perceptive…but this, my dear boy, is not a monster skull.” His father said dryly. He held the skull out for Sans to see and on its side, a tiny hole was drilled near the temple. “This disturbing thing, this barbaric object, is the result of humans. Primitive humans thought that drilling holes into their skulls would cure the voices. As if brain damage would counter insanity! This is just an example of why monsters are the superior species. Only humans would ever think to do such an atrocity to their own kind! To think, this old mutilated piece of bone used to belong to a person!”

“But not every human is bad…right? Why else would we try to help them?”

At Sans’ question, Doctor Gaster gave a low short laugh, the sound of it echoing off the walls in the room. “Have you ever wondered why humans do not attempt to be sane? With the threat of electrocution, induced dizziness or freezing dowses of water, why should the humans not at least pretend? The true reason, my boy, is that humans do not change, so our helping them is irrelevant.”

“That cannot be true!” Sans protested, “Surely, some humans have left the asylum for the better?”

Doctor Gaster was quiet for a moment, then he spoke, his voice cold. “Humans are not like monsters. A strong human is able to withstand many hardships and still remain the same. That is the most impressive and infuriating part of their nature. A determined soul will remain a determined soul, a kind soul will remain a kind soul, and so on and so forth. No matter how much a monster tries to alter this, it will not change. Humans from fifty years ago had no idea about LV and EXP. They did not know high numbers of EXP can distort their sanity. Monsters are the only ones who have the knowledge of how to fix them, else the humans will drill holes in their heads.”

Gaster looked expectantly at Sans, who remained quiet. The younger skeleton did not utter a comment, only staring at the human skull. Feeling frustrated, Doctor Gaster took a deep breath and tried to calm down. “Look…” He breathed, “Despite what you might think, I actually know what I am doing. You are young and your skull is full of all the newfangled 20th century methods that are kinder and humane. If we lived in a perfect world, that would be all you needed but this is reality and my ways get results faster. I intend to teach you all that I know, so just trust me Sans.”

Leading his son towards the back, Gaster removed a sheet that was covering the biggest machine that Sans had ever seen. “Well, that thing was not in my textbooks.” He murmured. “What is it?”

“This is my magnum opus…my greatest work.” Gaster explained proudly, “I invented this machine and I have been working on it for the last couple of weeks. This is the main reason for your delayed apprenticeship. I had to get it perfected before I showed it to you. It is going to revolutionize asylum medicine and if you think electricity is a marvel, this will defy expectations!”

Rushing up to the machine, the tall skeleton pushed a button. A large dome came down and hovered a few feet above the empty patient chair. It was shaped like a bird’s skull, being round and narrow in the front, resembling a beak. It had two dark circles, where the eye sockets would have been, with wires connecting the dome to the mainframe. Gaster pushed a new button and this time, the faintest crackle of electricity could be heard. Sans stepped back, speechless at the display.

“Human…inventions…are all about changing the body to help…the mind.” Gaster lectured, not looking at Sans, but transfixed with the machine. He spun the crank, while he spoke, his eye sockets alight with excitement. “But this device will do more than that. No longer will LV and EXP determine the sanity of a human, it will remove it all so the human will be easier to control.” 

He spun the crank faster and faster, then suddenly…there was a loud boom. The room rattled and shook as the two skeletons were thrown backwards from the explosion. Doctor Gaster took the brunt of the hit, losing two thirds of his HP but Sans, thanks to his quick reflexes, was knocked down by only half a point. Smoke filled the room. Dazed and confused, Sans watched his normally calm and collected father, throw what could only be described as a temper tantrum at his sudden failure.

“Oh, confound it! Not again!” Gaster roared, “How many times does this failure have to happen?!”

Sans was dazed from the explosion. His HP might have been stable but his eye sockets still stung from the dust and it took a minute for his hearing to return. The magical energy from Doctor Gaster’s rage was making the room tremble and the young skeleton stood still, unsure of what to say or do. He reluctantly went closer to reach for his father to try and calm him but before he could, the elder monster pulled away. “It was so close to perfection.” He lamented, wiping the soot from his skull.

Sans nodded, knowing better then to contradict his father. “Do ya know why it exploded like that?”

For a moment, Sans thought he said the wrong thing because his father turned his glare from the machine and directed it solely on him. The darkness of his eye sockets, empty without their usual pinpricks of light were unnerving but it only lasted for a split second before Doctor Gaster seemed to get ahold of himself. “There was nothing wrong with my machine! I just need to find the proper sized containment unit to control how much energy is used all at once. I can fix it with a new part.”

Pushing aside the clutter, Doctor Gaster took out his ratty looking notebook and started sketching blueprints and adding notes to what looked to be a drawing of the machine. His father had lost all interest in their lesson and unsure of what to do, Sans debated on whether it was wise to get away.

“Did you know that monsters have never won the Noel Peace Prize?” His father asked, his tone sad and full of frustration. “Humans and monsters have been living side by side since the beginning of time, but no matter how much we help them…the humans will never acknowledge our achievements. If we want recognition, we must force them. I am not just building this machine for my own personal glory Sans. I am doing this so that one day, even you will be treated with respect.”

“Um…thank you?” Sans replied, uncertainly. “I guess the lesson is over then? Do ya need me here to help ya clean up or should I come back later? I do not want to get in your way of fixing it and…”

“You can go.” Gaster interrupted, “We will continue your lessons the day after tomorrow, once I get this machine up and running. Tomorrow I will go into town and retrieve a new part. It should not be difficult to repair but it will take some time. I want to get this right and I refuse to fail again.”

His voice was cold, chilling Sans to the bone. Two long cracks were on his father’s skull, but Doctor Gaster did not notice. If he felt pain or the HP loss, he did not show it, being more focused on the machine as if it were his obsession. In light of what happened, Sans did not need another reason to stay, so he teleported out to the third-floor hallway. Anything was better than being in a room with his father…even if it meant wandering the halls of the asylum until his work shift began.

His wandering did not last long, for shouts started reverberating down the hall. His soul sank to his sternum when he noticed the two nurses, Muffet and Undyne stepping out of room 313. Even from here, he could hear Doctor Alphys’ stuttering. “P-p-please calm down, Ms. Fanshaw! We did not mean to f-frighten you. You were h-having a nightmare and the pills are only to help you relax.”

There was a sound of a chair crashing against the wall, as Doctor Alphys scurried outside the room. “She nearly killed me!” The lizard monster gasped, “Undyne, c-can you restrain her? I will go get help. Ms. Fanshaw is g-going to hurt herself if she keeps acting like this. We need reinforcements!”

Sans came forward, giving a friendly smile. “Might I be of assistance? I can help calm the young lady down, it will be no trouble. I am her doctor and she might feel better if I am there with her.”

Nurse Undyne looked at him skeptically. She was a fierce creature that looked out of place in the nurse’s uniform but she did her job well and without complaint. During his month as a busboy, he had seen her in passing and while he would never admit it, Undyne made him a little nervous. As if she read his mind, Undyne crossed her arms and glared at him, her sharp teeth showing in a smirk. “I thought you worked in the kitchens.” She taunted, “How could you take on a hysteric?”

Alphys gulped, “Undyne! T-that is Doctor Sans Gaster…Wingdings Gaster’s son! You should show him some respect or his father m-might fire you for insubordination! I heard tell that Doctor Gaster was teaching his son how to run the asylum. If he wants to help, we should let him do so!”

“Ya can just call me Sans.” The skeleton said, giving a knowing wink. “Now what is going on?”

“I-I was just making my m-morning rounds sir.” Alphys explained, “We give out medicine to the patients right before lunch time but Ms. Fanshaw must have b-been sleeping in. I had come in like usual when suddenly she started screaming! It was awful. She threw things at me and made a huge mess. I tried to calm her d-down but she would not listen to reason! I tried my best, honest I did.”

Sans groaned; he closed his eye sockets. “I forgot to tell ya…didn’t I? Sorry about that. It has been a long day! Anyway, as Frisk’s doctor, I have decided not to dose her with the usual prescription.”

Alphys looked surprised, going over her notes. “Sir, I do not understand. Ms. Fanshaw is a hysteric, correct? Hysterics always r-receive pills and isolation. They b-become unstable if they d-don’t! We have done it the same way for years, surely Doctor Gaster would n-not approve of this action!”

For a brief moment, Sans’ eye sockets seemed empty. “We are not doin’ things the old way. I have permission to treat Ms. Fanshaw’s condition and as the monster in charge, I am tellin’ ya to stop!”

Alphys backed away, looking startled but as fast as his anger appeared, it went away. Sans sighed, and took a deep breath. “I did not mean to lose my temper but I already promised Frisk that she would be spared from the pills. Since I forgot to tell ya, now it looks like I went back on my word. I know it is not your fault but now my day has become more complicated. I am sorry I snapped.”

Undyne put her hand on Alphys’ shoulder and bared her teeth. “If you want to deal with the small fry, then go for it. However, let me warn you bone boy…if you ever treat us like that again or if that human hurts Alphys, there will be hell to pay and I will not forget! How’s that for a promise?”

Drawing a finger across her neck, the fish monster marched off with Doctor Alphys following behind. Nurse Muffet gave a snicker and waved goodbye as she went on to deal with the rest of her own duties, leaving Sans feeling particularly tired from being so stern. Acting like his father was so exhausting sometimes. How did that elder skeleton exert such confidence so effortlessly? 

Standing in front of room 313, Sans gave a hesitant knock. “Frisk? Can I come in? It is me, Sans.”

There was a brief pause of silence, then Frisk opened the door. Unlike the previous night, she was a mess, just like her room was a mess. Blankets and bed sheets were torn aside, the remaining chair and table were knocked over and the few clothes that her fiancé brought over were scattered all over the floor. Frisk did not meet his eyes; she was too busy breathing heavily from her outburst. She went over to sit on her bed and looked at the ground as Sans went to shut the door behind him.

Sans righted the chair and sat in it, patiently waiting as Frisk regained her usual composure. When she could meet his eye sockets again, Frisk glared at him. “How could you?! You lied to me Sans!”

The skeleton gave a weary sigh, “Look, I know what I said and you are right. I promised to never sedate ya with pills…but attacking Doctor Alphys and Nurse Undyne was wrong. They both were ignorant to your special situation and I have not had the time to tell them about our arrangement.”

“It still does not make it right!” Frisk countered angrily, “How would you like it if you woke up from a bad dream, only to have a lizard monster shoving pills down your throat? He got what he deserved! I spit them back in his face and scared him away. After all, I am a hysteric and that is what hysterics do! So why are you not leaving? Why are you not afraid of me like all the others?”

Sans scooted his chair closer and listened to her angry sobbing. Finally, she wiped her eyes and sniffed, “Why are you helping me? Do you not see that I am not worth it? I am doomed anyway.”

“Nah, I am not afraid of ya.” Sans said, smirking. “I have seen far scarier things then a small girl.”

“Well, I will have you know that I am not a small girl!” Frisk reminded him indignantly, “I am a woman! I turned 20 years old last month, so I am an adult. Stop treating me like a helpless child!”

Sans shrugged, “I would never dream of it! You, are a very grown adult. So, grown up, that you are making me feel like a baby bones, what with that temper tantrum you threw earlier. That was such a mature…adult thing to do. Surely ya must have a reasonable explanation for that outburst.”

Frisk glared at Sans, annoyed by his obvious sarcasm. “Stop teasing of me! It is not funny at all!”

“Alright, alright I will stop.” Sans said, growing serious. “I am just messin’ around. There is no need in getting all worked up over a little teasing. Doctor Alphys said you had a bad dream. Do you want to talk about it? Nightmares are not so scary when ya talk about them. Many years ago, when my brother Papyrus was a baby bones, he would have nightmares and every time he cried, I would go into his room and we would talk those bad dreams away. Then to help encourage good dreams, I would read him bedtime stories. I can be a very good listener. What did ya dream about?”

Suddenly Frisk’s stomach gurgled, causing Sans to smirk. “Somebody slept through breakfast…”

“I did not mean too…” The woman admitted, “I had trouble falling asleep, so I accidentally slept past 9 AM. I guess it is too late to get breakfast, huh? Will I have to go hungry as punishment?”

Sans chuckled, “Why would I do that? A fed human is a happy human and I want you to be happy. Besides, it is not like I had any breakfast either. Even if lunch is in an hour, how about we eat now? I will teleport down to the kitchens and see if Toriel has any food for us to eat. Is that reasonable?”

Frisk nodded agreeably but she did not hide her curiosity. “Did you have a bad dream too? Why did you skip breakfast? If you do not mind me asking, that is. You just seem to be a prompt person.”

Sans chuckled, “Me? A prompt person? Try telling that to my dad! No, I skipped breakfast because I had to hear a lecture from my old man. I just started my apprenticeship and he has been droning nonstop on all the procedures of being an alienist. To think, I thought my schooling would end at graduation but instead, I am being trained in the hopes of ending up like him. I can barely get a word in edgewise, even to ask a question. The amazing Doctor Gaster loves hearing himself talk.”

Giving the young woman a wink, he gestured to the table. “Sit tight and wait here.” He said cheerfully. “I know a really good shortcut to the kitchen, so we will have food before ya know it.”

Frisk nodded, wiping the remaining tears away. Sans disappeared with a faint popping sound and when he returned a few minutes later, he was knocking at her door again. She let him in and marveled at the amount of food he brought. Along with a pot of tea, there was a bowl of hardboiled eggs, toast with jam, two bananas, one orange and a freshly baked blueberry muffin. It was a feast that made the woman’s mouth water, as she reached for the food with a newly awakened ferocity.

“See, I know what humans like!” Sans said proudly, “All provided with compliments from Tori.”

“I would like to meet Toriel someday.” Frisk decided, taking a bit of toast. “From the way you talk about her, she must be a kind-hearted person. To think, we have not even met but she is still willing to give me some extra food, despite it being between mealtimes. You are lucky to have her as a friend. Not even my own mother would allow me to have snacks in between breakfast and lunch.”

When the food had all been eaten and they were both comfortably full, Sans gave Frisk a knowing look. “I think now is as good a time as any to begin dream sharing. If it becomes to uncomfortable, we can try again on another day but I believe it will help you in your recovery from hysteria. We can have our conversation and when ya tire of my company, I will leave ya be. So, shall we begin?”

“Alright,” Frisk agreed, “But be warned, it is not a very happy dream. I did not wake up screaming over something pleasant. There are things that I would not normally tell anyone but I will tell you.”


	4. Chapter 4

“I usually do not normally remember my dreams.” Frisk admitted, “But this one was disturbing.”

She leaned back against her chair, looking troubled and not meeting the eye sockets of the skeleton on the other end of the table. “It started off as peaceful,” She continued, “I was in my old bedroom back at home. I was in a comfortable chair and sewing a patchwork quilt for my mother, when suddenly I ended up in a tiny room with no windows or doors. The walls started closing in around me and no matter how much I screamed, nobody heard me. I could barely breathe, I could barely move and the next thing I know, Doctor Alphys wakes me up. I felt a hand covering my mouth…”

Sans nodded his head, listening and silently observing the woman in front of him. Frisk was still disheveled from her earlier fit but now that she was calmer, she looked better. She had smoothed her clothes, brushed her hair and was back to normal, looking pretty as always. He tried to focus on what she said, giving an awkward cough. “So…um…do you think the dream has any meaning?”

“That I am trapped,” Frisk said deadpanned, “You know, like I was brought here against my will.”

There was an awkward silence and Sans sweated nervously. “Um…what I mean is, could the dream have any times to Mr. Ward? He is trying to trap ya into an unwanted marriage or perhaps it could also mean being trapped by financial means? Ya know, considering your family has fallen onto hard times? Not to mention the Great War across the ocean could make anyone feel unsafe.”

“Does it really matter?” Frisk said impatiently, “A bad dream seems hardly unusual, considering what my last few hours have been like! I am sorry for how I acted and I know I should not have lost my temper but really, how else is one supposed to act? I was awoken from a nightmare with pills being shoved down my throat! Those monsters were strangers and the fish one terrified me! If anything, I had a sane reaction. Normal people often will panic when they are being grabbed.”

“That…is a valid point.” Sans chuckled, “I suppose it is fortunate that ya did not sock it to them.”

Frisk crossed her arms. “Well, maybe I should have! If it wasn’t for that muscular looking nurse…”

“Heh, that would be Undyne. She has always been a fish out of water.” Sans joked, giving her a wink. “She is very tough and defies gender roles just for the halibut. For shore, she is intimidating.” 

Frisk listened with disbelief, then she started giggling uncontrollably. “Yes…I…I do suppose we should both quickly…reel it in, or she might over hear us! Then we would really be in deep water!”

Sans gave a snort, chuckling and joining in on Frisk’s laughter. “Yes, I do think we are both out of our depth…but bravo on the puns. Wow. I never met a lady that had the same sense of humor that I do…other than Toriel, I mean. Most people, my family included, think I have lost my mind.”

The human paused in mid laugh as the words sank in. Sans noticed her expression and quickly backtracked, “I meant no offense! It just came out wrong. I am sorry…for the poor word choice.”

For a moment there was an awkward silence. Looking around the room, Frisk remembered her fit and became embarrassed. “I should clean this up.” She mumbled, “I never meant to cause such a scene and that poor lizard monster, even if he was rough, he was only doing his job…or wait… was it a she? Anyway, if Doctor Alphys is female, then good for her. I never knew women could get jobs as doctors. I hope she does not hate me. Mother says I look possessed by the devil whenever I get angry, so I suppose she meant that my eyes turn red, if what you say is really true.”

Sans shrugged, “It is merely a trait of determined souls. Red is just a more noticeable then blue or green. It stands out against the backdrop of dark irises but it is perfectly normal for your soul type.” 

Frisk nodded, getting off her bare mattress and started to put the covers back on. Sans just watched.

“For somebody who came from the higher class, ya sure know how to make a bed.” He commented casually. “Don’t ya have somebody to it for ya at home? Usually ladies aren’t doing house work.”

Frisk snorted, “Maybe we had a maid when I was little but as the money became scarce, mother dismissed the help. I had to clean my room and make my bed myself, despite my title. Names are not enough to fill your coffers and if I had to choose between maids or food, I would choose food.”

She arranged her pillows back on the bed and pulled up the covers. Frisk did not seem to care that Sans was watching her, nor did she care that he was checking her out but despite her calm demeanor, a small smile graced her face. “For the longest time, money was all my parents would argue about.” Frisk said conversationally. “Mother wanted to buy the latest fashions and Father would tell her she was a little more than idiot to think about such frivolities. Designer dresses are expensive but Mother was in denial for the longest time. She would take me to all sorts of dances.”

Pausing, Frisk danced a little around the room, swaying to music only she could hear. “I love music! It let me forget all of my problems but as I became of age, gentlemen started noticing me. They did not care that I did not have a penny to my name. They were rich enough for both of us and they were dying to have their way with me. I met Arthur Ward at one of those balls, you know. He was a very good dancer but he was controlling. He wanted me to dance with only him alone.”

“He became obsessed with ya.” Sans mused, “That must have been before he asked for your hand.”

“Yes…and he was hardly my first choice.” Frisk sighed, “I wanted to marry for love but my father would not hear of it. Mother and Father treated Arthur like a miracle but all I could think about was how he grabbed my arm when he wanted me to follow. He left bruises on my arms for days.”

She shook her head, “I am tired of talking about Arthur Ward. I do not know why I brought him up in the first place. It’s just…I am not stupid. I know you and the other Doctor Gaster are plotting to convince me to change my mind and marry him. He is paying you a king’s ransom. I am sure, that is enough to convince anyone to look the other way and manipulate my own personal opinion.”

Sans said nothing, guiltily looking away. The shame on his face made Frisk sympathetic but firm, she closed her eyes and opened them, looking serious. “I understand your reasons but hear me when I say, I would rather die than marry him! If I am forced to do it, I will find a way to get out of the marriage. Even if it means running away, starving in the streets or doing unspeakable acts.”

“Hey now, there is no need to be hasty!” Sans whispered, “I know ya think there is no other option but we can think of something…a compromise…anything. We can find a way out of this mess.”

Frisk shrugged, “Maybe, maybe not. Over the years, I have learned that life can be disappointing.”

Sans did not say anything; his eye sockets were dark as he stared at the ground. Frisk noticed his expression and gave a smile. “You are a good monster Sans; I am sorry to talk about such a troubling topic. How about this? Why are you not called Doctor Gaster too? You are Doctor Gaster’s son and you have a doctorate, so why are you not called by a professional title? When they were in here, Doctor Alphys called you sir but Undyne just called you Sans. Isn’t that rude?”

Breaking out of his stupor, Sans looked at Frisk and smiled back. “My father's full name is Wingdings Gaster but because of his important role, he is called Doctor Gaster. That name belongs to only him and it would feel wrong if I tried to use it for myself. I am still a doctor, even if I am just called Sans and besides, monsters rarely use last names. I am nothing special, anyway. Dad was the first person to hire a female monster to work as an alienist. Dad ignores gender norms and allows Undyne to dress as she likes. He invented marvelous machines and I have done…nothing.”

“But you have only just begun!” Frisk protested, “Didn’t you graduate from university recently?”

Sans shrugged, “Yes but having a degree is nothing compared to the decades of experience that my father has accumulated. My knowledge is useless when nobody listens to my ideas on how to improve asylum care. In all honesty, I am no better off now than when I had first arrived at school.”

“Well, I want to listen to your ideas!” The human said stubbornly, crossing her arms. Frisk looked at him expectantly, causing him to sweat nervously. “Doctor Sans, how would you treat me? You think I have hysteria, which I certainly do not, but how would you treat a woman in my condition?”

“Um…music?” Sans suggested, smiling hesitatingly, “Toriel mentioned that music calms the soul and you said you love to dance, so I suppose it would be prudent to prescribe music. In fact, since my dad is going to be gone tomorrow, how about we have a ball on the first floor? I could introduce ya to people, we could wear nice clothes and we could enjoy some music together. How about it?”

Frisk’s expression brightened, “A dance? What a marvelous idea! I can wear my fancy dress, the one from Paris, with the silk and red lace. I was only allowed three dresses but by some bit of luck, Arthur brought me one of my nicer ones. Oh, I can finally look pretty again! You have no idea of how tired I am of looking and feeling like a hysteric but Sans, would your father allow such a thing? From our brief acquaintance, Doctor Gaster seems like he would not approve of a dance.”

“Whelp, what he does not know, will not hurt him!” Sans said, winking. “As ya know, the closest town is at least two hours away by horse and dad will probably want to stay the night, to avoid traveling back home in the dark. That will be the perfect time to have the dance when he is away.”

Sans smiled but then a thought came to his mind and he frowned, “There is one problem though…”

Frisk cocked her head curiously, “What is it?”

“My brother…Papyrus is not really one to have fun.” Sans admitted, “He hates the idea of free time and he would think me an irresponsible, lazy bones. I have to show him this can help you.”

“Is there anything I can do?” Frisk asked, “Perhaps I can go talk with him, make him see reason? I know that my words might not mean much coming from an asylum patient but it might work…”

Sans shook his head, “No, it should be me. Papyrus is not always the best listener but perhaps I can appeal to his pride. He is a good monster too, despite also being related to Doctor Gaster. He is the caretaker, so he looks after both the patients and the building for which they reside. Do not worry about him though. We will have that dance. He is a compassionate monster, one of the best.”

“Well, if you are sure…” Frisk mused, but then she smiled. “I trust you Sans. If you say that Papyrus will allow us to have a little fun tomorrow, then I believe you. Everything will be alright.”

Pleased by her praise, Sans gave an embarrassed cough. “Well, I should probably move on. There are other patients that I need to look after and dad will not be happy if I shirk my chores. I will see you again tonight when I give you your supper. Is there anything I can bring ya to make your day better? Some more of Toriel’s butterscotch and cinnamon pie, perhaps? I know ya really liked it.”

Frisk gave him an amused look. “Perhaps bring me a book to read? I could use the entertainment.”

“I guess you are tired of our chats already?” Sans asked, teasingly. “Is a book better company?”

“No! Of course not!” Frisk protested, laughing. “It might be a strange idea but as much as I love talking with you, you cannot be here at all hours of the day. I cannot spend all my time sleeping and I am not ready to roam the halls. If you could bring me a mystery book, I would appreciate it.”

Frisk was looking at him so pleadingly, Sans felt warmth in his soul. “Well…I suppose there is no harm in bringing you a book to read. Do you have any requests? A mystery book is a bit vague.”

“How about Sherlock Holmes? If it is not too much trouble, of course.” Frisk said, looking bashful.

“Your wish is my command, my lady.” Sans said, giving a wink and bowing dramatically. “But of course, you got the last name all wrong. Don’t you mean Sherlock…Bones? That kind of book?”

Frisk giggled, “Holmes…Bones…you know what I mean. Unless, the detective is really a skeleton monster, then I suppose the name Sherlock Bones would be more appropriate, do you not agree?”

“See? Now you are getting it!” Sans smirked, “Alright, now I must disappear but I shall talk to ya tonight. Do not get too lonely while I am away and tomorrow…we can have our dance together!”

Leaving the room, Sans felt giddy. His cheekbones were cyan and he grinned wider at the thought of them dancing together. His dad would not approve of a dance, but where was the harm if he was unaware? Dancing was simply a form of treatment. His skull was in the clouds for the rest of the day, finishing up by delivering the dinner at 5 PM and smiling coyly at Frisk. He winked at her and hinted at his plans for tomorrow, keeping her guessing. With a few more puns, Sans bid her goodnight and sleepily took the elevator to the second floor. He was tired but at least it was quiet, with only a few nurses. They were cleaning the patients and getting them ready for bed, for on this floor, every patient had some level of dementia. Alzheimer’s Disease ravaged many a mind here.

Being careful not to wake some of the patients that were already bedding down for the night, Sans peeked into the rooms until he could hear his brother chattering away to an old woman lying in her bed. An orange scarf draped around her protectively and he watched with amused affection at his brother’s bold actions. Papyrus was not allowed to mingle with the patients, but he did so anyway, despite their dad’s strict rules against it. So, despite contrary belief, Papyrus was the rebel.

“YOU KNOW, MRS. THOMPSON, IF I WERE IN CHARGE, SPAGHETTI WOULD BE SERVED MORE THAN ONCE A WEEK.” He said cheerfully, “TONIGHT I PLAN ON USING A NEW RECIPE AND I HOPE TO PERFECT SOMEDAY. I JUST KNOW EVERYONE WILL LOVE IT, INCLUDING YOU. PASTA IS THE BEST KIND OF FOOD, AFTER ALL! RIGHT NOW, I AM EXPERIMENTING WITH MAGIC AND HUMAN FOOD MIXED TOGETHER. IT IS STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS BUT NO MATTER, IT WILL COME OUT GOOD SOMEDAY. ANOTHER PLAN WOULD BE TO HAVE EXERCISE PROGRAMS FOR THE FIT AND ABLE. I KNOW YOU ARE NOT QUITE UP TO THE TASK BUT I TRULY BELIEVE THAT SITTING TOO LONG IN ONE PLACE IS HARMFUL TO BOTH THE BODY AND MIND. IT WOULD MAKE YOU AND THE OTHER HUMANS HAPPIER TOO, I BET.”

“Ya better be careful!” Sans warned, walking behind him. “Dad might not approve of that plan.”

Papyrus froze, he sweated nervously. “OH! SANS! I DID NOT HEAR YOU COME UP FROM BEHIND ME. I…UM…YOU WILL NOT TELL DAD, WILL YOU? I WAS JUST TALKING TO DEAR OLD MRS. THOMPSON. SHE IS A VERY GOOD LISTENER AND I DID NOT MEAN TO TALK OUT OF TURN. IF DAD OVERHEARD ME, HE MIGHT BE SO ANGRY!”

Sans shrugged, “Nah, do not worry bro, I will not tell a soul. You are not doin’ anything wrong. I think Mrs. Thompson deserves a little bit of company. She has not had any visitors this month.”

“I KNOW.” Papyrus said sadly, “I LOOKED AT HER RECORD. HER SON AND DAUGHTER DO NOT EVEN VISIT UNLESS THEY HAVE TOO. I SUPPOSE THEY ARE VERY BUSY.”

“Well, visits can be hard.” Sans explained, “Mrs. Thompson does not remember who they are. The nurses are barely able to get her to eat and she has not spoken in a long time. It is painful to deal with and not every human is strong enough to face this. It is much easier to forget and move on.”

“WELL THAT IS WHY I AM HERE!” Papyrus said proudly, “I WILL NEVER FORGET HER.”

Sans smiled proudly, “That is why you are the great Papyrus…but seriously bro, be careful. Dad is in a bad mood today. If he saw you in here, he might throw a fit. I do not want ya gettin’ in any trouble. Dad is not one to reward compassion, ya know that. Say, why are you in here anyway?”

“I HAD TO CHANGE A LIGHT BULB.” Papyrus explained, nodding to the overhead electric light. “I JUST FIGURED IT COULD NOT HURT TO SAY HI AND CHAT WITH MRS. THOMPSON TOO. I WAS NOT GOING TO STAY LONG. JUST FOR A MINUTE OR TWO.”

“Alright…well…try to be careful, okay?” Sans said, heading towards the door. “My shift just ended and I am heading home. If anybody requests help, just tell ‘em that Alphys can do it. She is a great doctor and I am still an apprentice anyway. Dad would not like it if I interfered too much.”

“IS IT PAST 5 PM ALREADY?” Papyrus said surprised. “ALRIGHT, I WILL SEE YOU LATER TONIGHT BROTHER. MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE HUNGRY. I AM MAKING DINNER!”

Sans gave a strained smile, “Of course, I would not miss your dinners for the world. Pasta la vista!”

As the older skeleton teleported away, he smirked as he heard Papyrus’s grumbling. His brother never did like a pun…no matter how clever it was. Perhaps he should remember it to tell Frisk…


	5. Chapter 5

Since he was a baby bones, Doctor Gaster had taught Sans the three rules of magical teleportation. 

First, a skeleton monster must be able to picture the location in their mind. Second, they must have enough magical energy to make the journey and third, a skeleton monster can only travel within two hundred feet of their current location. Nobody knew why it was this precise amount but Sans had been warned of the consequences. His dad was never shy in telling horror stories of skeletons who had permanently lost their femurs and fibulas due to reckless teleporting. It had terrified him.

He used to enjoy taking shortcuts, but after a few nights of bad dreams, his enthusiasm waned. His nightmares would consist of losing both his legs to the void and as a monster with only 1 HP, it made him all the more careful. When he felt there was a risk of breaking one of the three magical rules, he walked and when he could not do either, he slept. Either way, doing nothing was a far better option. Doing nothing was easy. Doing nothing was safe but Wingdings Gaster was not the kind of monster who would sit back and allow his eldest son to waste his life away in cowardice. After receiving the job of head doctor in Ebott Asylum, Doctor Gaster decided to plan accordingly. 

Living in the city was too far of a distance for teleportation, so after getting special permission from Asgore Dreemurr, Wingdings Gaster had a house built within the two hundred feet mark of the asylum’s entrance. There was no excuse for laziness now, what with their safety guaranteed for any and all teleporting, so no matter how much he protested, Sans was destined to become his father’s successor. Forcing his eldest to attend university and then later an apprenticeship, Sans’ life was planned out in every detail, while the youngest, Papyrus would just become the caretaker.

It was not fair. It was not fair for him or his brother, but Sans knew his father did not take their interests into account. So, in this rare moment of having both his father and brother still working, Sans reveled in this sense of temporary solitude and freedom. In this empty house no one could nag him on his manners or randomly test him on alienist trivia, he could finally…finally let his guard down and relax his mind. The house was dark without the electricity from the asylum but with a fire burning in the fireplace and a multitude of gas lamps glowing, it felt homey once more.

Feeling a burst of energy, Sans quickly went to get comfortable. In a blink, Sans went to his room and put on fresh clothes. Letting his lab coat fall to the ground, he changed into a soft blue sweater and pink bunny slippers. Within a second, he was back in the chair with his feet propped up on the table. He lounged lazily, with thoughts of Frisk dancing in his skull. She was a special woman…

As Sans stretched luxuriously in the chair, he spied rows of books lined up in shelves in their living room. “Hmm…I wonder if the old man has any books on hysteria?” He wondered out loud, “Dad likes to collect human medical journals, maybe one of those could help me? This…novel idea could be the key to solve our problem. I just need to take a page out of my dad’s book, so to speak.”

Chuckling at his own puns, Sans teleported over to the shelf and scanned it for anything promising. The light from the fireplace illuminated the titles but most were useless; The Ancient Art of Healing Magic, Mind Over Matter, Mages and Monsters, It’s All in the Blood and What Makes a Monster? It seemed that they were more focused on philosophy and history, then science, but as he looked further, Sans spotted an old, dogeared book at the very bottom row of the bookshelf. Curious, Sans picked it up and read the title. Common Ailments of the Female Mind, if that did not scream female hysteria, he did not know what did. He suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

Self-consciously, Sans glanced around, as if expecting his father to be looking over his shoulder but nobody was there. The only sound was the fire crackling behind the grate, sweating nervously, Sans quickly grabbed the book and went back to read it in his favorite chair. He curled up in a cozy spot and opened the cover. Sure enough, hysteria was the most common medical condition that plagued the female human. In the 19th century, human doctors had studied it in impressive depth.

Turning the page, the skeleton noticed the recordings of hundreds of cases that were all similar to Frisk’s. There were easily twice as many techniques and theories to cure them all but all the results were failures. The final hypothesis on what even caused hysteria was still inconclusive because of the fact that every woman was different and each one had a different result to said given treatment.

“Some of the more severe patients displayed different levels of the fetal position.” Sans read out loud, turning another page, “Whenever their physician touched them, that woman would shut down and become unresponsive to any physical stimuli. Sometimes the woman would shiver but overall, nearly all were in a state of catatonic shock that would last for at least an hour. Drugging with opiates seems to be the best way to bring them out of the shock but the female is no use until all effects have worn off. Time seems to be the best treatment but studies have devised new ways to handle these women. The most effective seems to be hysterical paroxysm but that is best done to the patients who are restless or quick to anger. Catatonic patients react negatively, so results remain inconclusive. Further studies are needed if we are to solve this mystery of why some treatments work and why this happens at all. Colleagues suggested that it could be merely a female weakness like fainting and others suggest a wandering womb, as it often happens to the unmarried women.”

Sans turned the page and saw pictures of naked human women and after staring at them for a brief moment, the skeleton quickly shut the cover. His cheekbones now cyan, he gave a brief shiver. “Hmph! Wandering womb indeed! What a bunch of nonsense! As if Frisk is anything like that…”

Suddenly he got up and started pacing the room. His mind was racing with thoughts and scandalous pictures. “This is just stress.” He told himself firmly, “All the more reason to have this dance! In fact, I think I need to relax as much as Frisk does. If I see one more picture…I…I wonder if Frisk looks like that? No! What am I thinking? I am a doctor! I am not some terrible monster who takes advantage of the humans in his care! I should be like my dad. I must be cool, calm and collected. I must think of this scientifically but…shin splits! I did not think this would be so hard! Come on Sans, think of the greater good. Ya need to help her get better but…what if she is not even sick?!”

He collapsed back down in his chair, leaning forward and rubbing his temples. “I am so confused!”

Closing his eye sockets, Sans took deep breaths and tried to relax. The silence of the room and the crackling of the fire was soothing to his body and soon, he started to get sleepy. As the long hours of the day passed, he was startled awake by the sound of the front door being slammed open against the wooden frame. Papyrus was holding bags of groceries and he stared at his brother in surprised confusion. “SANS? ARE YOU UNWELL? YOU LOOK TROUBLED! DO YOU NEED HELP?”

Sans rubbed his eye sockets and gave a yawn. “I am okay bro, no need to worry. I am just hungry.”

“OH! WELL IN THAT CASE, I SHALL PREPARE DINNER RIGHT AWAY.” Papyrus decided and with that, the tall skeleton started unpacking the groceries and put them on the kitchen counter while Sans watched lazily from his chair. Along with the usual, bread, milk and cans of beans, there were boxes of noodles and fresh produce that included tomatoes, onions, green peppers and long strings of garlic that gave off a strong odor. They all tumbled out of the brown paper bags and spilled haphazardly around the pots and pans that Papyrus got out. The skeleton whistled as he worked, first lighting a stove with a match and getting a pot of water boiling, for the fat noodles.

“DO YOU KNOW IF DAD IS COMING HOME TONIGHT?” Papyrus asked casually. He started chopping up the produce with gusto, bits of tomato and pepper flying everywhere. “I NEED TO KNOW IF I SHOULD GET OUT AN EXTRA PLATE FOR HIM OR IF I SHOULD RETRIEVE A CONTAINER FOR LEFTOVERS. IT WOULD BE A SHAME IF THE FOOD WENT TO WASTE BECAUSE I WAS NOT PREPARED. ESPECIALLY FOR THIS SPECIAL RECIPE!”  
“Eh…Dad will be home sooner or later.” Sans said, indifferently. “His fancy machine broke, so he is going to be obsessing over that for the next century or at least till hell freezes over, whenever comes first. But no worries bro, I am always happy to try some of your pasta creations. It has been a very long day and I am starving. What is on the menu tonight? Alfredo? Linguini? Lasagna?”

“TONIGHT’S DINNER IS SPAGHETTI!” Papyrus said proudly, “NURSE UNDYNE GAVE ME HER FAMILY’S RECIPE AND I WANT TO SEE IF IT IS ANY DIFFERENT THEN THE ONE, I CREATED MYSELF. TOMORROW I WILL REPORT TO HER WITH THE RESULTS OF THIS EXPERIMENT. SHE IS A MASTER CHEF AND I WANT TO LEARN ALL I CAN.”

Sans smirked, “I thought Tori was the chef of Ebott Asylum.”

“MRS. DREEMURR IS AN EXCELLENT CHEF TOO.” Papyrus admitted, “BUT DAD THOUGHT THAT UNDYNE WOULD BE BETTER SUITED AS A NURSE AS HE DID NOT PARTICULARLY CARE FOR HER KIND OF FOOD. HE SAID IT WAS A BIT EXTREME.”

“Whelp, ya can’t argue with the boss.” Sans said shrugging, “Still, I am glad that you and Undyne are such great friends. I know I have not been around a lot, what with being at university and then working in the kitchens for a month. I know I have not been the best brother, especially for how dad has acted lately. Undyne might kinda scare me but I can respect someone who has your back.”

Papyrus beamed happily. He was sautéing the tomatoes, onions and garlic, making the room smell nice. “I NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHY PEOPLE ARE SO SCARED OF UNDYNE.” He mused, “SHE HAS ALWAYS BEEN NICE TO ME. YOU SHOULD GET TO KNOW HER SANS AND YOU WILL SEE THAT SHE IS A GREAT MONSTER, ALMOST AS GREAT AS ME, THE GREAT PAPYRUS. PERHAPS, I SHOULD INVITE HER OVER TO DINNER SOMETIME.”

“That would be fine with me! The more the merrier.” Sans said, chuckling. His brother smiled, going back to making the spaghetti sauce as Sans opened his mouth as if to say something further, before shutting it again. Finally, the older skeleton put on his usual casual persona and grinned, “Undyne plays the piano, right? Is she any good? I assume her musical skills are better than mine.”

“YES, UNDYNE IS MOST ACCOMPLISHED AT PLAYING THE PIANO.” Papyrus said proudly, “I ALSO BELIEVE THE PIANO IS A FAR SUPERIOR INSTRUMENT THAN THE TROMBONE. YOU ARE TOO LAZY TO MASTER YOUR INSTRUMENT AND BESIDES, I AM FAIRLY SURE YOU ONLY PICKED UP THE TROMBONE BECAUSE OF THE PUNS.”

“Heh, ya know me too well, bro! In fact, I was…” Sans’ smile faded as he tried to be serious, “I was thinkin’ about what ya said earlier, about Mrs. Thompson? I was thinkin’ that you are right. The patients need more exercise, so how would ya feel about havin’ a dance tomorrow? It does not have to be for very long, and since dad is going to be away for most of the day, it could be our only opportunity to see if it really helps the patients feel better. All we need is music. Any ideas?”

Taken aback, Papyrus stared at Sans in surprise. “WOWIE! I NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT! DANCING AS TREATMENT COULD BE THE VERY THING TO GET THE PATIENTS’ BONES MOVING. AS FOR THE MUSIC, IT SHOULD BE EASY ENOUGH TO ACQUIRE.”

“I thought this could also help you get into our dad’s good graces.” Sans suggested, smiling with sincerity. “Ya have so much potential bro and you are so smart, if not smarter than me sometimes. I hope that once he sees what you are capable of, he could promote ya and just let you finally…”

“THIS IS A PERFECT IDEA!” Papyrus interrupted, growing more excited. He began stirring the spaghetti sauce faster, the light in his eye sockets shining with joy as red sauce splattered out of the pan and onto the counter. “IF THIS IDEA ACTUALLY WORKS, IT COULD MEAN SOMETHING GREAT FOR PATIENT CARE! IF YOUR LACK OF MUSIC IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM, THEN I DO NOT SEE WHY I CANNOT RESOLVE IT BY SIMPLY ASKING MY FRIEND. UNDYNE CAN PLAY THE PIANO AND WE CAN DANCE. DAD WILL FINALLY BE PROUD OF ME AND WHEN HE FINDS OUT, MAYBE WE COULD DO THIS AGAIN!”

Sans looked uneasy by his younger brother’s enthusiasm. “I hope gettin’ Undyne to play the piano won’t be too much trouble. I know she does not like me and worst comes to worse I can also bring my old gramophone as a backup, though it is not the same as live music. There is also the chance that this could fail horribly! It’s just, I do not want ya gettin’ into trouble if dad hates the idea bro.”

“HOW COULD DAD HATE THIS IDEA?” Papyrus asked, “IT IS MERELY AN EXPERIMENT AND DOES HE NOT CONDUCT EXPERIMENTS ALL THE TIME? WE WILL BE JUST FINE. THOUGH I AM CURIOUS, WAS IT I WHO GAVE YOU THIS EUREKA MOMENT?”

Embarrassed, Sans rubbed the back of his vertebrae and could not meet Papyrus’ inquisitive gaze. 

“Um…sort of?” He said, trying to find the words. “It is more like I got the idea from working with a new patient named Frisk Fanshaw. She has female hysteria and she has been under a lot of stress lately. She likes to dance and I thought a dance could be the very thing that could make her feel better and after hearing ya talk about exercise with Mrs. Thompson, the idea started to take root.” 

Papyrus was quiet for a moment, causing Sans to become more nervous. “I know you and dad do not like this kind of thing but like you said, this could be our experiment. If it fails, it fails but at least we did something and we can finally make a difference in the patients’ lives, in Frisk’s life in particular. The realization that ya could actually be in support of this crazy idea of mine…I…”

Before he could finish his sentence, the tall skeleton went over and hugged Sans. “OH BROTHER, I AM SO VERY PROUD OF YOU! YOU ALWAYS THINK OF OTHER PEOPLE BEFORE YOURSELF AND THIS IS A VERY NOBLE QUALITY FOR A DOCTOR. I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WHATEVER HAPPENS, COME WHAT MAY, I THINK EVERYTHING WILL BE ALRIGHT IN THE END. DO NOT WORRY ABOUT THE MUSIC. I WILL TAKE CARE OF IT. UNDYNE WILL PLAY FOR US. SHE OWES ME A FAVOR ANYWAY. HAVE FAITH.”

Sans grinned, “You are the best, bro! I cannot wait to tell Frisk tomorrow. She will be so happy.”

“IS THAT WHY YOU WERE LOOKING THROUGH THE BOOKS?” Papyrus asked, curiously. 

The smaller skeleton paused, looking uneasy. “Ya saw that? I was hoping that nobody would see.”

“YES, YOU WERE HOLDING ONE WHEN I CAME IN.” Papyrus explained, “WERE YOU RESEARCHING FEMALE HYSTERIA? I HAVE LOOKED IN THOSE BOOKS TOO FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT BE CAREFUL BROTHER. MAKE SURE THAT DAD DOES NOT SEE YOU TOUCHING THOSE BOOKS. HE DOES NOT LIKE US USING HIS BELONGINGS. I HAVE…WELL, LET’S JUST SAY THAT I HAVE ALREADY LEARNED THE HARD WAY.”

The taller skeleton winced with the memory but Sans patted his arm comfortingly. “No worries, bro. I have already finished the book and I plan on putting it away, just as I found it. I promise dad will be none the wiser but even with the risk, I do not regret looking through it. It has given me some insight on what female hysteria is and how people have traditionally treated it. The human alienists were so barbaric in how they treated the women. Somehow, I feel there is more to the story then meets the eye socket. I saw many contradictory facts and there is the problem of bias.”

Sans gave one last look at the cover of Common Ailments of the Female Mind, and sighed wearily. 

By now the spaghetti sauce on the stove was starting to bubble and Papyrus quickly ran back to the kitchen to stir it before it burned. “JUST BEWARE OF YOUR OWN BIAS, SANS.” Papyrus warned, “I KNOW YOU MEAN WELL BUT IT IS BEST TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT THESE THINGS. I DO NOT WANT YOU GETTING HURT IF FRISK SHOWS HER TRUE COLORS.”

“Speak for yourself.” Sans muttered quietly, “It is not like you are the most compassionate monster in the whole of Ebott City! At least I have good judgement when it comes to sensing the ulterior motives of people, be they good or bad. You try to protect me but really, it is the other way around. Remember when you were young and you tried to befriend the meanest bully in the schoolyard?”

“WHAT WAS THAT? I COULD NOT HEAR YOU!” Papyrus asked, from the kitchen but Sans said nothing more. Instead he placed the medical journal away and paused when something caught his attention. It was a small stash of fiction novels lodged in the corner of the bookshelf. At first glance they seemed to blend in but on closer inspection, they were obviously a very different genre.

“Papyrus, correct me if I am wrong but…does dad have a secret love for mystery novels?” Sans asked, his voice full of disbelief. “Shin splits! I did not think it was possible. Dad reads for fun?!”

“I STILL CAN’T HEAR YOU BROTHER.” Papyrus grumbled, walking over to see what was the matter. When Sans held up the mystery book, the tall skeleton paused in his tracks. “OH! THOSE BOOKS ARE MINE.” He explained proudly. “I PUT THEM THERE BECAUSE I HAD NO MORE ROOM IN MY ROOM. I FIGURED THAT DAD WOULD NOT MIND BECAUSE THEY ARE BOOKS TOO! I KNOW THEY DO NOT FIT IN WITH THE REST OF THE SHELF, BUT DAD HAS YET TO NOTICE THEM AMONG THE MEDICAL JOURNALS…”

He trailed off, but Sans went to hug him, his eye sockets bright. “Can I borrow one of them? Please, Papyrus? Frisk was just askin’ for a Sherlock Holmes book and this would make her so happy!”

“NYEH HEH!” Papyrus laughed, “SANS, THERE IS NO NEED TO BEG! OF COURSE, THE HUMAN CAN READ MY BOOKS. IN FACT, I WOULD BE REALLY PLEASED IF SHE DID! IT IS NOT EVERYDAY I FIND A SHERLOCK HOLMES FAN! SHE HAS EXCELLENT TASTE IN BOOKS. I WONDER IF SHE LIKES TO SOLVE PUZZLES TOO? SINCE I WAS A BABY BONES, I HAVE PRIDED MYSELF ON MY DEDUCTIVE REASONING AND I WANTED TO SOLVE MYSTERIES AND PUZZLES, JUST LIKE THE MASTER HIMSELF!”

Sans looked at one book, then another. He read the titles and the exerts with curiosity, his eye sockets bright with happiness. “I wonder which one she will like. Do you have recommendations?”

“MY FAVORITE IS CALLED, A STUDY IN SCARLET.” Papyrus said, pointing to one. “IT IS THE FIRST BOOK IN THE SERIES AND IS QUITE THE PAGE TURNER. IN FACT, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU READ THESE BOOKS TOO SANS, AFTER FRISK, OF COURSE. I THINK YOU WOULD VERY MUCH ENJOY THEM AND THEIR MYSTERIES.”

“I will keep that in mind.” Sans agreed, smiling fondly at his sibling. “You are doin’ a good thing, Papyrus. You really are the best brother ever! I really do not know what I would do without you.”

“I AM NOT CALLED THE GREAT PAPYRUS FOR NOTHING!” The skeleton joked amiably.

With a flick of a switch, the stove was turned off and he went to drain the noodles. The kitchen was full of amazing scents as steam rose up in a cloud as he mixed the red sauce and noodles together in a big metal pan. To the spaghetti mixture, Papyrus added seasonings and shredded Parmesan cheese. Bits of magic were already added and gave the food a slight shimmer as the tall skeleton added the finishing touches to his masterpiece. With the table set, the meal was complete.

“PLEASE WASH YOUR PHALANGES AFTER YOU PUT AWAY THE BOOK.” Papyrus said sternly, when Sans started approaching the dinner table. “WE MUST ALL BE PRESENTABLE FOR OUR FAMILY MEAL, EVEN IF DAD IS NOT HOME, WE MUST HAVE MANNERS!”

Rolling the lights in his eye sockets, Sans smiled good naturedly. “Okay, okay! I will go now but please have mercy, bro! I am so hungry that I am already just skin and bones…without the skin!”

Papyrus groaned, putting his hand over his sockets. “ALRIGHT, ENOUGH WITH THE JOKES OR I MIGHT CHANGE MY MIND ABOUT LETTING YOU BORROW THAT BOOK TO SHOW OFF TO YOUR LADY FRIEND. NOW DO HURRY UP! I DO NOT HAVE ALL DAY.”

Giving a snort of annoyance, Papyrus doled out portions of spaghetti onto their plates while Sans, still laughing, stuck his tongue out childishly as he teleported upstairs. He wiped the grime off his bones and changed clothes, feeling a bit better. That smell of pasta always made it feel like home.


	6. Chapter 6

The air was hot and muggy in the early afternoon, causing Doctor Wingdings Gaster to become irritable. He stood in the doorway, tapping his foot impatiently as he waited for Papyrus to fetch him a horse from the stable. Normally, on errands such as this one, he would simply teleport to where he needed to be, but Ebott City was too far. Even if he moved two hundred feet at a time, it would take too long and expend far too much magic and that was a price he was not willing to pay.

The animal was there to provide the necessary transportation, but only as a last resort. Already his tailbone ached at the thought of the long, bumpy ride by horseback. If it was not for the limited time frame, he would have rented a carriage but those were always in high demand and so very expensive. With the World’s Fair coming up in less than a month, his invention had to be ready in time. It had to be repaired and it had to be perfect, if it was going to get the patent it truly deserved. His invention, his magnum opus, was the highlight of his career and for that, he would do anything but Gaster did not relish the idea of visiting the human infested village of Ebott City. The humans, those weak, fleshy vermin, how despised them all. With their staring eyes, gaping mouths and rude manners, it was enough to wonder how they were even sentient enough to tie their own shoelaces. Still, he had to be on his best behavior. Humans did make up a majority of the country’s population.

Doctor Gaster checked his pocket watch again and glanced up when he heard the faint sound of thunder. Dark clouds were forming in the distance, promising a rainy future but despite his ire, it could not be helped. He was already late and delaying any longer would put him only further behind. Ten minutes later, his youngest son came forward, gently leading a bay mare behind him. 

Papyrus patted the horse affectionately but Doctor Gaster was in no mood for games. He roughly grabbed the reins and hoisted himself upon the saddle. The horse gave a startled whinny and stepped backwards but Gaster held on, adjusting his weight to get more comfortable. He grunted with effort but remained steady enough to look back at his goodbye party. They were all being so annoyingly…cheerful. Both Doctor Alphys and Nurse Undyne were smiling, Papyrus was smiling and even Sans, who often looked to be in a perpetual state of misery, was smiling. It was strange.

Doctor Gaster scowled, feeling irritated by this radiant display of mirth. It was as if they were all laughing at him behind his back, as if they were mocking him for his recent mechanical failure. Well, he would show them. He would show them all! In a few weeks, nobody would be laughing! 

“I will be back in a few hours.” He said gruffly, “If this storm breaks and it is still raining when I get to the city, I will delay my departure home. I expect everything to continue on as normal, despite my temporary absence. Keep to the asylum’s routine, do not shirk your chores and do not interact with the patients any more than necessary. There should be no incidents while I am gone.”

“Of course, sir…and we await your r-return.” Alphys said demurely.

“ALL WILL BE WELL, FOR I, THE GRAT PAPYRUS, WILL KEEP EVERYONE IN LINE.” Papyrus promised, putting his hand over his soul. His son’s honest sincerity helped lessen Gaster’s suspicions, but only slightly. Instead, he grunted and put on his gloves, arranged his hat and firmly held the crop between his phalanges. He trotted the horse around and looked at his smiling subjects.

“Well, I am off. Take care and remember, these patients are each worth more than their weight in gold.” He warned, “If I find anything wrong with any of them, there will be hell to pay. Goodbye.”  
With that, Doctor Wingdings Gaster galloped swiftly down the road, leaving just dust in his wake.

Papyrus waved goodbye but already the group was starting to disband and head back inside. On the way back, Undyne bent low and whispered to Alphys. “Did you see those cracks on his skull? It looks like something hurt him really bad. Do you think it was one of the patients? I would not think that such a powerful monster could get hurt like that, especially to that degree. I wonder why he did not heal himself yet? Does he think those two fractures will make him scarier to humans?”

“I noticed them too.” Alphys agreed, looking thoughtful. “Whatever the reason is for keeping the cracks, they look very p-painful. I did not want to say anything but if he ignores them, the d-damage could be very serious! I think he just was too busy to get something to eat. Doctor Gaster has been really distracted lately and he will not let me help him. I-I tried to offer my services to him, honestly, I did…but he refused. I only wanted to lessen his workload but he was offended by the very idea! I hope he has some food to heal his wounds. I can’t help but be worried about him.”

Undyne shook her head in dismay, “Well, it is not like he worries about us. You are too pure for this world, Al. He does not deserve a doctor like you working for him. We have both been here for nine years and not once has he acknowledged our hard work and loyalty with praise. He still treats us like we are both apprentices…it makes me furious! That is enough to make me want to mutiny!”

Alphys shushed her and looked around frantically. “Undyne! Please be careful with what you say!”

The fish monster snorted, “Relax, I am just saying what everyone is thinking! I swear, if it was not for you, or this gender-neutral dress code, I would have quit years ago. That old man takes us all for granted! Without us, this asylum would have fallen apart years ago. He would much prefer to play mad scientist in his secret lab, I mean…look at poor Papyrus! Doctor Gaster is his father but not even that is enough to have that old bag of bones give him a kind word. His soul is ice cold.”

Papyrus looked over his shoulder, UNDYNE? DID YOU SAY SOMETHING?”

“Um…nothing, just…um…you can stop waving now.” The nurse said, thinking quickly. She gave him her best toothy smile, “Come on Paps, we must hurry and get ready for this big dance of yours. The humans are counting on us! We have so much to do, right? We have to plan and um…organize, what with the food, the music and…all of that…stuff. Nothing short of what the Great Papyrus can offer to our asylum, am I right? This dance is your time to shine, Papyrus. So, let us get to it!”

Papyrus’s eye sockets were shining. “YES! WE MUST GET TO IT! WE NEED TO HAVE MUSIC AND DANCING! WE MUST HAVE FOOD! WE MUST ALL LOOK OUR VERY BEST! THIS WILL BE THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY CAREER. FOR GENERATIONS, PEOPLE WILL TALK ABOUT THE GREAT PAPYRUS AND HIS REVOLUTIONARY IDEA FOR MEDICAL CARE IN ASYLUMS, LIKE OURS. MY DAD WILL REWARD ME WITH LOTS OF HUGS, KISSES AND PRAISE. WHY, HE MIGHT EVEN PROMOTE ME TO ORDERLY!”

“See? You are finally moving up in the world, bro.” Sans agreed, giving him a thumbs up. The smaller skeleton glanced at the fish monster who was whispering to Alphys and gave a loud cough.

Undyne looked up from her conversation and narrowed her eyes. “What do you want, bone boy?”

“Are you still up for playin’ the piano?” Sans inquired, shooting a glance towards his brother, “I mean, I could still bring my gramophone but I think that Papyrus has his soul set on ya doin’ this.”

For a moment, Undyne seemed as if she were going to refuse, but then she looked at said skeleton. It was obvious that Papyrus had overheard their conversation and he was watching her with such a hopeful expression, all thoughts of protest disappeared. “I said I would do it, didn’t I?” she said gruffly. “I might not be the best pianist around but I know for sure that I am better than some damn gramophone. My parents, bless their souls, would be thrilled if they knew I was using my training.”

“OH, THANK YOU UNDYNE!” Papyrus exclaimed, going over to give her a hug. “IT MEANS THE WORLD TO ME THAT YOU WANT TO HELP. YOUR PLAYING IS SO EXQUISITE!” 

Embarrassed, Undyne flushed but she quickly put on her stern face. “Remember that this is a one-time deal! Do not expect me to play the piano on command like some trained circus monkey. It is bad enough that I have to do it in front of a crowd…it is another matter in giving up my dignity!”

“We would n-not expect any less.” Alphys said, placing her hand on Undyne’s shoulder. “You are such a wonderful pianist. It will only be f-for a little while and t-there is no need to be so bashful.”

Undyne’s expression softened, “Anything for you…but you have to promise me one thing. You must dance with me. Even if I leave the piano and there is no music, I still want at least one dance.” 

Alphys giggled and nodded her head, while the two walked back to the building together hand in hand. Papyrus followed along with Sans trailing behind. The small skeleton looked lost in thought as he glanced up at the oncoming storm. Summer was always known for its rainy seasons but this looked almost ominous with the sun hidden behind dark grey clouds. The wind picked up and the humidity stuck to his bones, making him uneasy. It was as if there was a type of electricity in the air, something that was wild and dangerous, the kind that made the magic stir in his very marrow.

For a moment, Sans wondered if this was a sign that a dance in an insane asylum was a bad idea.

Most, if not all of his peers would consider this idea stupid. Any alienist worth his salt would call this idea reckless and incredibly dangerous, but Sans could not help it. After seeing that look of joy in Frisk’s eyes, that look of joy for something as simple as dancing, he could not deny her this little bit of happiness. At this point, he would do anything for her and that in itself was unnerving.

“SO, WILL I BE MEETING FRISK FANSHAW?” Papyrus asked, pulling Sans from his thoughts. “I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO MEET THIS FELLOW SHERLOCK HOLMES FAN!”

His brother gave him a conspiratorial wink, causing Sans to blush. “Um…sure? It would be no trouble to introduce ya to her. That is the least I can do, after all, you are the one who is allowing this dance to happen. You are a real pal, Papyrus. I have been tryin’ to get back on her good side.”

Papyrus looked at him curious, “OH? WHAT HAPPENED? DID YOU DO SOMETHING BAD?”

“It is not that I did something bad exactly, it is more that I promised her that she would not be sedated with pills.” Sans explained, looking sheepish. “When she awoke from a nightmare, she was screaming, so Alphys came in and tried to shove pills down her throat to calm her down. Now, I know that Alphys was just following protocol and I do not blame her for that, but now it looks as if I were lying to her. This dance is a form of treatment but it is also an apology present as well.”

Sans shuffled awkwardly under his Papyrus’ stern gaze. “HMM…I SEE, WELL, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IF MY LAZY BROTHER HAD SIMPLY TOLD DOCTOR ALPHYS SOONER. IT IS NO WONDER THE HUMAN WAS SO CROSS WITH YOU EARLIER. FOR SHAME, SANS! FOR SHAME! YOU NEED TO BE ON YOUR BEST BEHAVIOR IF YOU WANT TO GET BACK INTO HER GOOD GRACES. HUMANS HAVE LONG MEMORIES!”

“You do not have to rub it in.” Sans complained, “I already know she has a bone to pick with me.”

His sulky attitude caused Papyrus to laugh heartily. “NYEH HEH! I AM ONLY TEASING YOU SANS! I KNOW YOU ARE A GOOD DOCTOR, THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ANYONE, EVEN THE GREAT PAPYRUS! I WAS MERELY CURIOUS. IN ALL MY YEARS, I HAVE NOT ONCE SEEN YOU BE AS NERVOUS AS YOU ARE NOW. IT IS ENDEARING. I WILL HELP YOU PROVE YOURSELF. WITH HELP, YOU WILL NO LONGER BE LAZY!”

“Can ya stop callin’ me lazy?” Sans complained. “I am so tired of people treating me like I am some useless pile of bones! I am not stupid. I just save my energy and prioritize what is important.”

The smaller skeleton waved his arms about to emphasize his point, while his brother nodded and gave a reassuring smile. “OF COURSE, WHATEVER YOU SAY. NOW TELL ME SANS, ARE FEMALE HYSTERICS REALLY AS DISAGREEABLE AS THEY SAY? IT MAKES ME SO CURIOUS AND A BIT ENVIOUS THAT YOU GET TO INTERACT WITH HER SO OFTEN. WHAT ARE THE CLUES TO DIAGNOSING HYSTERIA? IS IT LIKE IN THE JOURNALS?”

Annoyed at being rebuffed, Sans scowled. “Not every mental patient is the same. Frisk is hardly like the women in those books. She might have a temper but from my interactions, she has been delightful company and not disagreeable in the slightest. In fact, she is only here because she is resisting an arranged marriage to a terrible man. Her past actions have been quite understandable.”

“IF HER BETROTHED IS SO TERRIBLE, WHY IS SHE HERE?” Papyrus asked, looking confused. “FRISK WAS MERELY RESISTING A SCOUNDREL, SO HER ACTIONS ARE REASONABLE, NOT HYSTERICAL! HAS DAD EVER MISDIAGNOSED A PATIENT? NOT THAT I AM QUESTIONING HIS JUDGEMENT BUT HAS HE EVER…MENTIONED IT?”

“He considers every decision he makes to be flawless, so he would never admit it, even if he did. Still, it does make one wonder…” Sans muttered, trailing off as he felt the first drops of rain fall.

The rain was slow at first but then it fell harder until it was absolutely pouring. Caught off guard, the two brothers scrambled back inside with Undyne laughing at their frantic running. Scowling, Sans wrung out his soaked clothes but Papyrus was too excited to notice. He started to pace the first floor, dripping water as he went. He looked around the lobby and saw that some of orderlies were already bringing out tables for food and pushing the chairs aside. Everyone was getting ready for this dance, for while Doctor Gaster was unawares, it was the biggest thing in Ebott Asylum. Nearly every nonviolent patient would be attending and Papyrus felt anxious watching them work.

“WE HAVE SO MUCH TO DO!” Papyrus fretted, “UNDYNE? CAN YOU AND MS. MUFFET PLEASE GATHER THE PATIENTS AND BRING THEM DOWNSTAIRS? ALPHYS? CAN YOU GO TO KITCHEN AND LET MRS. DREEMURR KNOW THAT WE WILL BE HAVING OUR DINNER OVER HERE? WE ALSO NEED TO DRESS IN OUR NICEST CLOTHES AND I WILL HURRY AND CHANGE INTO MY PARTY OUTFIT. I BROUGHT IT FROM HOME AND I WILL CHANGE IN MY OFFICE. BE QUICK EVERYONE! WE HAVE TO BE READY FOR SOMETHING SO GREAT THAT IT WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR GENERATIONS!” 

With a “NYEH HEH!”, Papyrus dashed off towards his office, not even waiting for a reply.

Undyne growled irritably but she did not complain, instead she went off to find Muffet, while Doctor Alphys turned her attention towards Sans. She gave him an evil smile, causing the skeleton to look nervously at his coworker and instinctively back away. “Um, what with that creepy look?”

“Sir, you are n-not wearing that shirt to the dance, are you?” Alphys asked, “Papyrus is c-changing into something nice, w-why not you too? Your coat is old, it smells and there are ketchup stains!”

Sans glanced down in surprise at the red stains on his lapels. “This? It is only a little dirty. I do not think it is enough to get worked up about. I look perfectly fine and I am sure that no one will notice it.”

Even without Undyne to back her up, Doctor Alphys was intimidating. She might have been smaller than himself, a mere 4 feet 1 inch tall, but she stood firm and her expression hardened as she approached him with her arms crossed. “I n-noticed the stains, sir!” She growled out, “If I noticed, then I am sure that everyone else will t-too! It is sh-shameful and n-not one worthy of your status! You are the heir apparent! Have some p-pride because that is no way to dress! If you want to impress Frisk Fanshaw, that means looking the part! It is not enough to host a dance, sir. She will need to have s-someone to dance with. I saw that look you gave her earlier, coming to her rescue, well now is the time to step up. So, with all due respect sir, get dressed or I will make you!”

“Stop callin’ me sir.” Sans muttered, “Just call me Sans and stop nagging me. I have enough to worry about with you being on my backbone, telling me how to dress. Worry about yourself first!”

“Go change now…sir!” Alphys demanded, her voice louder, causing Sans to flinch. “Go now and you b-better look presentable when you return. If there are stains on your new outfit, I…I will go make you change into something else, even…even if I have to p-pick it out for myself! Frisk is used to men who dress nice and it is important to make a good impression. Show her that she is worth the effort. Wooing is all in the effort, sir. Remember that and you will b-be much happier!”

Taken aback by her demands, Sans scowled. He teleported home and went to rummage around in his closet for a change of clothes. He did have a tuxedo and bow tie, courtesy of Doctor Wingdings Gaster, but it was hardly used. He had only worn it once when they were impressing some of their human benefactors who were skeptical of the new monster ownership of the insane asylum. That was before he had gone to university and it felt like a lifetime ago. Trying it on, he was pleased to see it still fit comfortably. He looked in the mirror and spun about, realizing despite his chagrin to Doctor Alphys’ bossiness…she did have a point. It did look nice, despite causing his bones to itch. Deciding against a hat, he gave his outfit one last look before teleporting back to asylum’s lobby.

“So, does this meet all your requirements?” Sans asked wryly. “This the nicest outfit that I own!” 

Startled by his sudden reappearance, Doctor Alphys gave a shriek. She nearly jumped out of her skin while Sans watched her with amusement. When she calmed down, she glared at the skeleton and swatted him. “That was not nice!” She chided, “At least now you look more presentable, sir.”

Sans grinned mischievously, before glancing around the lobby. Some people were already starting to come downstairs and fill up the dance floor. There were not many nonviolent mental patients in the building, much less the ones able to leave their beds, but a small crowd was starting to form and they chatted amongst themselves. Doctor Alphys smirked when she noticed that Sans was not so subtly, scanning the group in hopes to find Frisk. He put his hands in his pockets to stop their shaking. He was full of nerves but there was no way he was admitting his anxieties to his coworker.

“She is not coming down unless you get her, sir.” Alphys explained smugly, “Undyne told me, to tell you, that you s-should be the one to bring Mrs. Fanshaw downstairs. I would go, if I were you.”

“Me? I mean, of course!” Sans said, his nerves showing. “Quite right…I can give her my present.”

“A gift? Oh, how romantic!” Alphys squealed, “You must tell me about it when you are done, sir.”

Rolling the lights in his eye sockets, he took a deep breath. “Well, I suppose it is now…or never.”

His cheekbones were dusted a cyan blue and despite being almost 26 years old, he felt as if he were a child going to his first dance. Remembering to retrieve the Sherlock Holmes book that Papyrus had lent him, Sans teleported in front of room 313 and knocked loudly. Sweating, he lifted his collar and longed for his favorite shirt. The tuxedo was nice but it was so stifling on his bones. The itchiness of the wool fabric was not helping either. He briefly considered switching back, if only to spite Doctor Alphys and her nagging ways. It would serve her right but for all his irritation, his mind went blissfully blank when Frisk opened the door. Gone was that old dress that she had worn only yesterday. Now she looked breathtaking, truly like a noble woman that she really was.

Along with the prettier dress, Frisk’s short brown hair was brushed until it shined, with tiny curls twisting around in spirals that hung about her cheeks. She wore no makeup, the evidence of her current asylum lodgings, but it did not matter. Even without rouge or lipstick, she was breathtaking. He mentally thanked Alphys, knowing she had done the right thing. He at least looked respectable.

“Are ya ready to go?” He asked, when he finally found his voice. “You are the star and everybody is waitin’ for the princess to come to the ball. I will be your escort…if you will have me, that is.”

Frisk awkwardly smiled, touching her hair nervously. “I am hardly a lady, much less a princess. Do I look okay? I used a trick that my mother taught me to get my hair to curl. It is temporary and hardly special, but I…I wanted to do something nice. You look far better dressed for the occasion.”

On impulse, Sans reached over a touched one of the ringlet curls that framed her face. “Ya look fine…more than fine actually…ya look beautiful, so there is no need to be nervous. I know ya have yet to meet the other patients but I promise, they are harmless. I will be with ya the entire time. This party is in your honor, ya know. After all, you were the one who inspired me to do this.”


	7. Chapter 7

“Me? How could I inspire would was already there?” Frisk asked bluntly, “I did not tell you to do anything. You could have easily have just locked me away for six days until Arthur Ward came to collect me but you did not. Instead, you scheduled a dance and wanted to cheer me up. That proves you are a good soul, a kind soul…and I am lucky that it was you who was interested in my case.”

Sans gaped at her, suddenly flustered by her words. His cheekbones were cyan and he fidgeted nervously. “Oh…I…well thank you. You are a kind soul too and I…I hope to make things right.”

The monster coughed awkwardly and shuffled around. His soul fluttered in his rib cage and for the life of him, he could not meet her gaze. Frisk noticed and she wondered at his newfound shyness. Perhaps it came from wearing a tuxedo instead of his usual lab coat? Normally he was so calm and collected but now standing before her, he was a shy and awkward young man. It was charming. She wanted to comfort him but instead, Frisk noticed that he was holding a familiar book. Going with a feigned hurt look, she asked, “Are you going to read a book, while I am off dancing alone?”

Sans looked down at the clutched book in surprise, as if he had forgotten why he had brought it. “Oh, this? This is a present. I got it for you. I wanted ya to have a Sherlock Holmes book, to prove that I am a monster of my word. My brother is a big fan of the series and he wanted ya to have it.”

Frisk took the book and studied the cover. “Thank you, Sans…for everything. I know you are not one to take pride in your accomplishments but I honestly feel a lot better. In the beginning I actually thought this was some sort of practical joke, because really, what kind of asylum doctor prescribes dancing? What kind of doctor gives his patient a book, in order to help with the boredom of sitting in a room all day? Most doctors would see this as unnecessary privilege. Most doctors would only do the barest minimum but you, Sans Gaster, never cease to surprise me. For that, I am fortunate.”

At those words and the look, she was giving him, Sans gulped, trying his hardest to play it casual. His mind drifted to puns. “Well, heh heh…ya know me… I am not one to stand bone-idle when someone needs my help. I studied a skele-ton for my exams and I cannot patella how many times I doubted myself when dad announced I would be his apprentice. For me, studying medicine was more than just a plan. I want to make the world a better place. I gave ya the book ‘cause it would make ya happy. I wanted to dance with ya ‘cause it would have the same positive result. I believe that happiness leads to healing and that unconventional methods are often better than traditional.”

“If this is a method, do you still think I am crazy?” Frisk asked softly, “Just a hysterical lunatic?”

Sans hesitated, taken aback by the accusation. “I…I never said you were crazy! What I meant by healing was that you needed friends. I am your friend. I care about you Frisk…please believe me.”

For a moment, Frisk studied him silently. Her scrutinizing gaze was just as intense as it was on the first day, they had met but after a moment, she took her gift and returned to her room. After placing the book on her bed, she came out and was surprised to see that Sans was giving her a look that begged her forgiveness. Despite her reluctance, Frisk found that she could not be angry at him. It was too hard to be angry at him. “You are the strangest monster I have ever met!” She declared, “I want to trust you. I want to believe you but I fear that you are secretly being your father’s pawn.”

Sans gave a long sigh, his expression serious. “I might be a lot of things but I am not my dad…nor his pawn. I have a mind of my own and tibia honest, I have always been the black sheep in my family. Now please, stop overthinking this. We are merely going to have some fun while my dad is away. I promise there is no ulterior plot. There is no trick. All I ask is that you trust me, okay?”

“Okay…I will trust you…for now.” Frisk relented. She smiled and linked her arm with his as they walked towards the elevator. “How come we are not going to teleport? You do it often enough…”

“Eh…I would if I could, but I can’t.” Sans said, with a shrug. “See, teleporting takes up a lot of my magical energy and since I was born with unusually low HP, I have to be careful not to expend too much. If I am carrying something, I can sometimes get away with it but I would never teleport with a person. It would be too risky. You could get hurt and I…I am not willin’ to lose any femurs!”

Frisk paused, looking surprised. “Seriously? You could really lose a femur if you bring me along?”

Sans gave a wink, “What, do ya think I am lying? That it is a fibula?”

Catching onto the pun, Frisk laughed. “How unfortunate! I would have liked to teleport! I think it would have been great fun and it would have certainly saved me some trouble in my earlier years.”

“Oh, it is not so bad,” Sans teased, “At least I get to have ya all to myself for a little while longer!”

His mouth was right next to her ear and the suggestive words made Frisk blush. She shyly looked away but the smile did not leave her face. As the elevator went down to the first floor, the doors opened up to the sounds of music. Undyne was on the piano as promised, playing a cheerful tune while Doctor Alphys was on a bench nearby, listening to every note. There were about five patients nearby too, swaying to the music or chatting amongst each other. In preparation for the dance, the nurses had dressed them and brushed their hair, making them presentable for the grand occasion.

When Sans and his lady came into the room, they all cheered and clapped. With them being some of the youngest in attendance, Sans suddenly felt self-conscious. It was only when he gave them a second gland that he remembered that these were still mental patients. Party or not, this was still an asylum. One man was wearing a strait jacket, his blond hair in patches and there were scars all over his body. Another patient, a woman was slow dancing with an imaginary partner, moving so serenely to the music. Others stood near the buffet tables where Nurse Muffet was trying to tempt an old woman into eating, by offering her a homemade purple frosted donut with black sprinkles.

The elderly woman was not responding. Instead, she stared off into space while the spider monster sighed impatiently, crumbling the pastry into manageable pieces and placed them in front of her tightlipped mouth. “Come on dearie…just one bite? It is very good, I promise! Please, just try it.”

Making a noise like an unhappy child, the woman shook her head stubbornly. Muffet growled in frustration, trying again but getting nowhere. A goat monster stood nearby and offered her words of encouragement but after a few more tries, the spider nurse gave up and went to sit in the corner. 

The whole first floor was full of appetizing smells but only a few of the attending humans bothered to eat. Instead they picked at their food or played with it, tossing it on the ground as a baby would. As Frisk looked around, she was reminded of a scene from Alice in Wonderland, it was unnerving. 

Everything was nonsense here and nothing made sense but yet, despite the potent mixture of festive and strange, Frisk did not feel the least bit afraid. These people were harmless. They were too lost in their own minds, without a single bit of EXP among them. If she wanted to dance, nobody would care. If she wanted to be silly, nobody would judge her. No one would care about her manners or judge her on her appearance. This realization alone made her appreciate this newfound acceptance and tolerance. For a brief moment, she allowed herself to watch Sans as he stood nervously nearby.

“Look at these decorations!” Sans said anxiously, “Ya can tell the staff really put their souls into it! We did not have much time but Papyrus wanted it all to be perfect, so we indulged him. It is a miracle that we pulled this off as smoothly as we did and um…look! I think I see Tori over there.”

Frisk looked to where he was pointing and saw a female goat monster standing with Nurse Muffet.

“Is she the one who gave me the butterscotch cinnamon pie?” She asked, “I would like to thank her…do you think you can introduce me? I would like to get more acquainted with my benefactor.”

“Of course! Right this way, my lady.” Sans said, giving a wink. He took her hand and walked with her, carefully avoiding the small crowd of people that stood in the way. When they approached the goat monster, Sans gave a short bow. Frisk, after quickly remembering her manners, also gave a curtsy and Toriel Dreemurr smiled in return. Now with a closer inspection, the matronly monster reminded Frisk vaguely of one of her mother’s friends. They looked nothing alike but were similar.

Perhaps it was her outfit? Toriel was wearing a pretty purple and white dress with the Dreemurr crest embroidered near the hem. She had a matching hat that covered her tiny horns and she had on expensive looking gloves that could make a queen jealous. Perhaps it was her excellent poise? Frisk noted that she had an elegance that up until now, she had assumed came from the upper class of humans that her family rubbed shoulders with. Perhaps it was more than that? It was unnerving and Frisk could not help but stare in awe. In the awkwardness, Sans began the formal introductions.

“Tori, this is Lady Frisk Fanshaw.” He said, gesturing towards the human. “Frisk, this is Mrs. Toriel Dreemurr. Tori is like family and she has been lookin’ out for me since I was just a baby.”

“So, you are Frisk.” The goat monster said serenely, glancing at Sans. “It is so nice to meet you.”

Embarrassed by her thoughts comparing Toriel to her mother, Frisk smiled back and curtsied again. “It is nice to meet you. Thank you for the piece of pie that you gave me. It tasted wonderful and it healed all my bruises. It was a very welcoming treat after that horrible day I had to endure.”

“Oh, it was no trouble at all!” Toriel said modestly, “I have heard so much about you, my child. My husband was a friend of Doctor Gaster’s, so I have known the Gaster boys for a very long time. In fact, while he was waiting for his apprenticeship, I had Sans working for me down in the kitchens as a busboy. He might not look it but really, Sans is quite the hard worker. I may have supplied the food but Sans was the one who gave me ideas for new creations. Did you know it was his idea to make butterscotch and cinnamon pie? He believed it would be more welcoming to humans then some of my monster pies and he was right. I think he just likes to pretend to be lazy, so he can surprise people. He certainly surprised me and I have known him for years. What, with him rebelling against his father to treat you specifically. His crush on you is absolutely precious!”

Frisk blinked in surprise, “Oh…well…thank you…I think.”

She glanced at Sans and found that his cheekbones were a bright cyan and he was unable to meet her eyes. Tori chuckled, covering her hand with her mouth. “Oh dear, I think I said too much! I am sorry Sans. I thought you had already told her. You are not subtle with your feelings, my child.”

“You might not know this Frisk, but it was Tori who supplied this great feast.” Sans said loudly, his voice cracking as he tried to hide his embarrassment. “Ever since my mother died when I was a baby bones, she has been lookin’ out for me and my younger brother. I consider her to be my best friend and punner in crime, even if she seems dead set on tryin’ to humiliate me sometimes…”

Toriel giggled and shook her head, “My child, you make it too easy. I just could not help myself!”

Sans scowled but this action only caused Frisk to join in with Toriel’s laughter. When the goat monster could finally catch her breath, she turned to the human. “I am so glad that my pie helped you. Butterscotch cinnamon pie does wonders for the HP but if you ever want to try something new and adventurous, I would suggest my snail pie. It is very popular among the monsters in my community and it is certainly my husband’s favorite treat. I have found that it heals HP as well.”

“Oh, well, maybe some other time.” Frisk said, trying to hide her grimace. “It is nice to meet you, ma’am. I just wish it were in better circumstances. I would rather not be here at an insane asylum.”

Tori nodded understandingly, “Yes, it can be difficult. I have been trying to make the best of things too. I never thought I would be the head cook and wife of an insane asylum’s superintendent but here we are. Life is funny sometimes. Still though, doesn’t Sans clean up well? He looks nice, don’t you think? I have never seen him look so dashing. It reminds me of the time when he was just a child and he was trying on Doctor Gaster’s clothes! He has always been a handsome fellow.”

Sans looked thoroughly humiliated now, causing Frisk to laugh. “Yes, I agree. He is handsome!”

The skeleton gave an awkward cough. “Whelp, it was nice talkin’ with ya but I think I owe Frisk a dance. We can’t talk all night but thanks for helpin’ set this up. I do appreciate your help Tori!”

Toriel nodded, giving the young monster a knowing wink. “Anytime, my friend. I hope you and your lady friend have fun in abun-dance! You are no longer the skeleton with no-body to go with!”

“Yeah, yeah…” Sans said, chuckling at her puns. “Good one Tori!” 

Frisk frowned, looking puzzled as the skeleton pulled her into the center of the room for a dance.

“What was that all about?” She asked, holding his phalanges and feeling his hand gently grasp her side for a slow dance. “Teasing and puns? Are you sure she is not your mother? I swear, if you had goat horns and fur, I would think that you take after her the most, instead of Doctor Gaster.”

“Well, we cannot choose who we are related to.” Sans said, with a shrug. “But family does not have to be defined by genetics. We may not be kin but I still consider Tori to be part of my family.”

Frisk leaned into him, resting her chin on his shoulder. “I think you are right. Tori is a nice person. You are lucky that she is part of your life. Not many people have a caring friend to soften the blow of a cold-hearted parent. I wish I was that lucky. Growing up, I did not have many friends around.”

“I would be your friend, always and forever.” Sans said softly, “But I know what you mean. Since my mom died, Tori was one of the few people that would let me open up and be myself around. I mean, don’t get me wrong, my brother is great and all but I feel that if I complain about my position as the heir apparent, he would not take me seriously. He might not admit it, but I know my brother is very envious of my position. He would call me lazy but really, I just am tired of all the pressure.”

“That is understandable. You should not feel guilt for something you cannot help” Frisk said softly.

Sans swayed to the music, closing his eye sockets. “Tori has given me so much advice. She was the one who encouraged my puns. She told me that laughter is the best music…and she is right. In this world, there is a lot to be miserable about. War, famine, disease…ya name it, but when you tell a joke, in that moment, the pain of the present is gone. Jokes make life a little more tolerable.”

“Hmm…I think you are right.” Frisk agreed, “Would you tell me one now? I like to laugh and I can hardly remember when I last heard something funny. Your humerus jokes are probably great!”

The skeleton smirked mischievously. “Are ya sure? I know some really good ones. When I was a busboy, Tori and I would exchange jokes all the time. I do not want ya gettin’ annoyed with me if I get carried away. Both my dad and my brother hate the jokes I make. They think they are stupid.”

He swirled her around the dance floor, pushing her out and bringing her in. The music continued but Frisk did not notice, her eyes were focused on him. “I don’t mind…can you tell me one now?”

“Okay, how about this? Why are skeletons terrible liars?”

Frisk frowned, trying to think of an answer. When she gave up, Sans started laughing. “It is ‘cause everyone can see straight through them!” He chortled, “How does a skeleton get into his home?”

Frisk shrugged and Sans gave a sly wink, “With skeleton keys, of course!”

Now the human was laughing. “I do not know if I am laughing because they are funny or because they are so simple, they are hilarious! Haha, you should have been a comedian instead of a doctor!”

“Who says I cannot be both? Alright, last one. Why did the skeleton want a friend?” Sans asked, his tone shifting as he looked at Frisk, the lights in his eye sockets warm as he held her a bit closer.

“I give up, why did the skeleton want a friend?” Frisk asked, sensing the change immediately. Her voice was softer as she looked at him but despite his smile, she could tell that it was something was wrong. Sans was quiet for a long time before finally, he looked at her and cupped her cheek.

“It was because he was feeling very bonely.” Sans told her, his usual smile not meeting his sockets.

For a minute, Frisk stopped dancing and looked at her doctor, as if seeing him for the first time. He was not much older than she was but that tired look in his eye sockets…it was as if he had seen so much and was tired because of it. Something was really troubling him and while she felt shy, Frisk mustered up her courage and hugged him, wrapping her arms around him tightly and in the loud room, she whispered, knowing that only he would hear. “You do not have be lonely anymore.”

Her words were gentle and made Sans want to melt. He could feel his soul beating faster in his rib cage, the warmth filling him up and with hesitation, he held her too, not caring who saw them.


	8. Chapter 8

“SANS! DID YOU START THE DANCE WITHOUT ME?” Papyrus said indignantly, “IT WAS MY IDEA AND YOU FORGOT ALL ABOUT ME! I TOLD YOU THAT I WAS CHANGING.”

The angry skeleton came marching through the doorway, scowling at his brother who now stared at him dumbly. Papyrus looked impressive in his tuxedo. It was pure black satin, complete with a top hat and white bow tie. As Papyrus crossed the room, the small crowd of dancers parted and Sans blinked, feeling guilt at having forgotten his sibling completely. For a moment, he considered teleporting away but Frisk held onto his phalanges. Her presence reassured him despite the rude interruption and it was enough to make him feel a little less intimidated. He smiled and tried joking.

“Hey bro, I was wonderin’ when you would show up.” Sans teased, “I thought I was the lazy one.”

Papyrus gave an indignant snort, “JOKING WILL NOT CHANGE THE FACT THAT I AM VERY CROSS WITH YOU! DID YOU MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE WAS ACCOUNTED FOR? NO…I THOUGHT NOT! I WAS DELAYED BECAUSE I FOUND THIS YOUNG LADY IN THE ELEVATOR. SHE CAME FROM THE FOURTH FLOOR AND SHE WAS LOOKING LOST. THAT IS WHY WE DO NOT ACT SO IMPULSIVELY! WE MUST MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS INCLUDED IN OUR PARTY. NO ONE SHOULD FEEL LEFT OUT.” 

He stepped aside to reveal a bedraggled young woman. She was about Frisk’s age but instead of looking shy or nervous, she smirked. “THIS IS CHARLOTTE ANDERSON.” Papyrus introduced.

Charlotte gave a small curtsy, “Please call me Chara…all my friends do. It is so nice to meet you all! I had no idea that something fun was going on. Doctor Gaster usually hates fun but imagine my surprise when the great Papyrus told me about this dance! How lucky I am to finally meet both of Gaster’s sons? I have been wanting to meet you two for a very long! This is such a great honor!”

At the mention of the fourth floor, Sans froze. Panicked thoughts flew through his head as he stared at Chara, wondering what this new human was capable of. He clenched his fists, his eye glowed cyan but Chara did not react to his defensive posturing. Instead, she was looking at Frisk, smiling and offering her hand in a gesture of comradery. There was a long, awkward pause as Sans watched the exchange, unsure of when to step in but Frisk was not frightened. On the contrary, she smiled and the two shook hands. “My name is Frisk.” She said cheerfully, “It is nice to meet you, Chara.”

Chara studied her wryly, “From your appearance, I take it that you have not been here very long.”

“No…I…I have only been here for a few days.” Frisk said, glancing at Sans. She frowned, noting the sudden change of her skeleton doctor. He was so tense and she could sense his magic flaring up despite his stoic presence. “Isn’t that right, Sans? Though I must admit, it feels as if it is longer.”

“Yes…I remember when I first arrived.” Chara said, giving a shrug. “Though it does not only feel longer, it is longer…much longer. I have been here for months, almost a whole year. Perhaps, more? It is not like I have a calendar to keep track of the days. It has been just me, myself and I in that little room on the fourth floor. That bastard, Gaster would not even give me a window to look out of. He thinks it would distract me but I know better. He knows I would escape…but jokes on him, I escaped anyway. I have been wanting to stretch my legs. It feels very nice to be free again.”

“Oh, you poor thing!” Frisk cried, “That is terrible! How lucky you are that Papyrus found you.”

Chara’s green eyes flickered scarlet for a brief moment. “Yes…how lucky for me…but enough about that. I can tell that you are just like me, aren’t you Frisk? Diagnosed with female hysteria, all caused from the excess of determination…heh, I can always tell a similar soul. Out of the seven known colors, red souls are the most powerful. We are the type of women that other humans fear.”

“So, I have heard…” Frisk said, trailing off. “This whole soul business is very peculiar. My family would never look me in the eyes whenever I was scared or angry, but now I can understand why. It must have been quite unnerving! You look about my age, did you have family trouble too? I was brought here by my betrothed. I refused to marry him, so Arthur Ward decided that I must be crazy. He thought that my being a lunatic was more likely than my rejection and Doctor Gaster agreed.”

“You should have killed him.” Chara said matter-of-factly. “No more fiancé, no more troubles.”

Frisk stared at the other woman in surprise. “Wait…what?! I could never…”

“Stop being so modest!” Chara said sweetly, smiling that wide smile of hers. “Anybody can kill if they were given the opportunity. You have a red soul and with determination, you can kill anyone.”

“I am not a murderer!” Frisk protested, but Chara ignored her. She started circling Frisk and Sans, smiling and singing in a sickly-sweet voice. The words were like a child’s nursery rhyme but instead of some cute little poem, the words were more like a chant, well versed with lot of practice.

“Chop them! Slice them! Dice them up! Make them bleed until they never wake up!” Her voice became increasingly louder. Chara was practically screaming the words until Frisk put her hands to her ears. “Chop them! Slice them! Dice them up! Make them bleed until they never wake up!”

“Stop it!” Frisk demanded, “Stop saying that! I am not a murderer! Killing is wrong and even if it gets rid of someone awful, it does not make it right. I will never kill anyone for as long as I live!”

“Oh partner,” Chara sighed pityingly, “We are all killers deep down. Come now, don’t tell me you have not at least considered getting rid of Arthur Ward? It would be easy. All you need is a knife and the right moment. One slice across the neck and poof! He is dead! If your parents protest, just kill them too! Freedom is available for those who are determined to take it…however necessary.”

Baring his teeth, Sans went to stand between the two women. “That is enough! Stop talking Chara! My dad was right to put you on the fourth floor. Your High EXP alone is enough to qualify you for the floor of psychopaths, rapists and murderers. I do not take you kindly to scaring Frisk! We would normally keep your kind away from gatherings such as this but my brother made a mistake.”

Papyrus looked confused, “SANS…WHAT DO YOU MEAN? IS CHARA REALLY ALL THAT BAD? SHE HAS FEMALE HYSTERIA, LIKE FRISK! DELUSIONS ARE ONE SYMPTOM.”

“These are not delusions, Papyrus.” Sans growled, “Can you not sense it? She has killed before!”

Papyrus studied Chara, hesitated at first but finally, he hurried to stand by his brother. Chara smirked, pleased by his retreating form. “Well, look at that!” She exclaimed, “I think the Gaster boys are afraid of me! How delicious! These baby bones refuse to see the bigger picture. See, Frisk? The only difference between the humans down here and the one that were on the fourth floor is that we have learned to defend ourselves. We do not let people push around. Monsters have no idea what it is like to be so vulnerable. They have never felt desperate nor the sheer determination to survive. Monsters are born with magic and power, yet they judge me for wanting to be strong. They judge me for wanting to stop people like your Arthur Ward from hurting others.”

Frisk sweated nervously, “Chara, please calm down. We can talk this out. Surely, this is some big misunderstanding? I appreciate that you are trying to help me with my betrothed situation but really, doesn’t the idea of murder seem to be a bit…extreme? We can be better than that, surely!”

Glancing at the other woman, Chara smiled. “Oh, poor little Frisk…you are so naïve. You cling to that skeleton as if he is not one of the very monsters keeping you captive. I suppose you feel like you are one of them? From the look of your dress, you come from the upper class too. Only a lady with money can afford such an expensive gown. Well, reality check, you are not one of them. The monsters are not your friends. They never were and it is best that you get it out of your head now.”

Looking around, Chara eyed a piece of chocolate cake. It was on the banquet table, a treat for the party members prepared by Toriel, but the angry woman did not care. She snagged a piece and ate it with her fingers, knowing full well that everyone’s eyes were on her. She smirked, watching as Frisk’s lip quivered, watching as Sans got angrier and angrier. Even Papyrus seemed a bit scared.

“Look, I am only speaking the truth.” Chara said, with a sigh. “Cry all you want but it does not stop us from meeting our fate. Soon, Doctor Gaster will take us into the little room and drain us both, pulling the determination out of us until there nothing left. We will both be husks, partner.”

Undyne had stopped playing the music ages ago, the room was silent except for the rain falling on the roof. The nurse clenched her fists. “Sans? What is going on here? Do you want me to step in?”

Looking from Chara, to Sans and to Frisk, she felt uneasy and looked unsure of what to do. Finally, Papyrus came forward. “THIS IS RIDICULOUS! DAD WOULD NEVER HURT A PATIENT! WE MUST NOT FORGET THAT CHARA IS MENTALLY ILL, SO WE SHOULD ALL BE UNDERSTANDING. LET’S NOT BE SO HASTY THAT WE PICK A FIGHT. SHE IS UNDER OUR CARE, AFTER ALL, SINCE DAD IS NOT HERE. LET US CALM DOWN…PLEASE?”

“I am not crazy! I am not delusional!” Chara shrieked, her calm demeanor fading away instantly.

She marched forward and waved her hands about, rage making her eyes scarlet. “Am I the only one that sees the truth? Frisk, have you not noticed that we are the only red souls in the asylum? In a place this large, there should be hundreds of people like us but the fourth floor is empty. I am the only one up there. I am the only one left. Just look at these five other humans down here. They are green souls; weak, feeble minded and useless to Gaster. Haven’t you boneheads figured it out?”

Papyrus frowned at the insult. “WHAT DO WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT? YOU ARE SAFE.”

Chara laughed, shaking her head. “Gaster is planning to turn us into mindless beasts! I escaped but before I leave, I must save you Frisk. Who else is next in line for power? Gaster’s own apprentice!”

Wielding a cake knife, Chara charged towards Sans. Her eyes were dark red, full of determination. Aiming straight for Sans’ rib cage, Chara missed it by inches as the skeleton teleported away in time. Sliding across the floor, she turned on her heel and ran towards Sans again, this time close enough that Sans could feel the wind on his skull when he teleported out of her reach. Papyrus cried out in alarm. Undyne ran over to help, a spear in her hand, while Alphys and Toriel hurried to get the nonviolent patients out of the way. Toriel tried to bring Frisk with them but she refused.

Frisk watched in horror as Chara tried to dust Sans. He was teleporting quickly to evade her blade and each time; the skeleton came one step closer to being stabbed. There were some bright flashes as Undyne threw her spears towards the attacking human but Chara dodged them all, only pausing a second to catch her breath, but that was all Sans needed. Surrounding Chara with blue magic, she was frozen in midbattle stance, her arm still raised and holding the cake knife, reading to slice.

Sweat dripped down Sans’ skull and he breathed heavily too, feeling the exhaustion of teleporting starting to take affect but he did not let down his guard. Frisk stared at Chara, noting how her eyes were red and demon-like and suddenly, she understood why her parents had been so afraid. When at its raw form, determination was terrifying! At her core…was she truly so different from Chara?

The imprisoned woman was not bothered by her situation, instead she laughed as if this was a joke.

Undyne stood nearby, a spear aimed at Chara but Sans held strong, giving the fish monster a tired look. “I will take Chara back to her room.” He said quietly, “Undyne, can you make sure Frisk is okay? 

Alphys and Tori can help the rest of our guests back to their rooms but right now, I think Frisk needs a bit of extra support. We have to get things back to normal before my father returns home. This dance was a mistake…I know that now. I was careless and this disaster was my fault.”

The skeleton looked down, his eye sockets dark with none of their usual pinpricks of light. Frisk wanted to embrace and reassure him but Undyne held her back. “Come on small fry, party’s over.”

Frisk reluctantly obeyed, glancing back at Sans with her eyes full of tears. The skeleton quietly carried Chara away, pulling her slowly along like a helium balloon. Back in room 313, Frisk fell into her bed and sobbed into her pillow. Undyne stood stoically nearby, unsure of how to help but a comforting presence all the same. She hummed soothingly and awkwardly stroked Frisk’s back, waiting until the human’s tears subsid. With time, Frisk’s sobs quieted and she fell into fitful sleep.

In the silent room, Undyne dozed in the chair beside the bed. Watching someone sleep was boring and the fish monster was unsure of how much time passed. Minutes? An hour or two? Either way, she was startled awake when Frisk spoke. “Do you think Chara was lying about Doctor Gaster?”

“Hmm? Oh…you mean that dribble about him wanting to turn you both into husks?” Undyne asked, “Well, it could be a lie but then again…I honestly have no idea what Doctor Gaster is up to. Usually, that is Aaron and Goliath’s job, managing the fourth floor. Those guys are really strong, even stronger than me! Doctor Gaster uses them as bodyguards, hired muscle and who knows what else. I was never allowed upstairs but now I am starting to wonder. Chara seem a bit too angry to be making things up. She seemed honestly upset but there is no proof that she is right.”

Frisk nodded, “If Chara is delusional, perhaps she only thinks this is truth…it could still be a lie.”

“Heh…I guess that is equally possible.” Undyne remarked. “You are pretty smart for a small fry.”

For a moment the two women were quiet. Frisk sat in her bed, with the covers wrapped around her while Undyne sat lazily in her chair. In this moment, the human worried about Sans. Was he in danger? Would Chara try to escape again? Everything was happening so fast and she could barely process it all. She longed to see Sans, if only to stop imagining all the bad things that could happen.

“I never apologized for what happened the other day.” Undyne began awkwardly. “Alphys and I…we overreacted when you woke up screaming from your dream. It was wrong and I am sorry.”

Frisk sighed, “I am sorry too, it was wrong of me to attack you both over a tiny misunderstanding.”

“I have worked here for a long time.” Undyne mused, “Alphys and I were both here when Doctor Gaster took over the asylum. It was disgusting before we arrived, the humans had let their lunatics wallow in their own filth! I thought we did a good thing by coming here but now I am not so sure.”

“You and Alphys seem close…are you best friends?” Frisk asked, “You seem to protect her a lot.”

Undyne chuckled, “Heh, you could say that. We are actually lovers…if you want to be more technical. We have been together for…oh I don’t know…over a decade? It is a sort of a well-known secret around here. Though, I am sure for your human mind…this must seem to be strange.”

“Lovers? How? You are both females!” Frisk countered; her face contorted briefly with confusion.

“Yes, I am aware of that.” The fish monster said dryly, “It does not make any difference. Humans are the ones who like to discriminate…whether it is by race, gender, class, species or sexual orientation. Since monsters are open to differences, relationships like ours are allowed and we can even get married in our communities. Of course, it is only official among monsters. Humans will probably never understand us but then again, they have always been a bit behind when coming up with new ideas…no offense. However, while monsters approve…Doctor Gaster is the exception.”

Frisk was silent for a moment, “Is it because you are both the same gender? Is Gaster prejudiced?”

Undyne sighed and got up, stretching as she did. “No, not exactly. The boss is modern compared to other old monsters but he hates love, regardless of the kind. You saw how he treats his own children. He thinks love is a liability, something to avoid if possible. If he knew, he would fire us.”

Her bitter anger was evident in her rant but she gave the concerned human a smile. “Heh, sorry. I guess I got a little carried away. See, the truth is, there are few places that would give me a good paying job and even fewer that would let me dress as I like, be it masculine or feminine. Humans would never hire me and I like the work here. So, I want to keep my job, despite Gaster’s opinions.”

Frisk frowned, “What about Sans? What about Papyrus, Toriel and all the others? Do they know?”

“Yes, Toriel guessed and the others figured it out too.” Undyne said, giving a shy grin. “They have all been very supportive. I did not mean to overwhelm you with this knowledge of my relationship but seeing you and Sans together…well, I guess I wanted to tell you that love does not have to follow the traditional route. Love should not be confined to different gendered couples. Love should not be just between the same species. If true love exists, we should act on it without fear!”

The fish monster gave her a knowing look, causing Frisk to blush and stutter, “Um…yes…well…”

Undyne went to sit on the bed beside her. “I understand if you are nervous but really, your love is not much different than my love and we make it work. I have heard tell of mixed-species couples over the centuries and I know for sure that Sans likes you very much. I may not know him well, but when he went to you yesterday, you both had the biggest puppy dog expressions! It was cute.”

Her cheeks bright red, Frisk looked down in embarrassment. “I am in way over my head! I have never been in love before and what if this love backfires? It is all so confusing and I do not want to get hurt! Plus, he is a skeleton…not that there is anything wrong with skeletons but how would that even work? Where would we go? I have so many questions. I just do not know what to do…”

“Calm down, small fry!” Undyne said, stopping her in midsentence. “There is no rush! All you have to do now is know how you feel about him. Sans is a skeleton monster and that means he has powerful magic…he might just surprise you! Just believe in your love and all the rest will follow.” 

Frisk nodded, twiddling her thumbs and obviously trying to calm her heart. Undyne smiled sympathetically at the young woman, knowing full well how hard it can be with a newfound crush. 

“I am not going to tell him, by the way.” The fish monster promised. Frisk looked up in surprise. “What we talk about is between us, you know…girl talk. Just don’t be afraid to tell him someday.”

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. “Frisk? Undyne? Can I come in? I must speak with you.”

Recognizing Sans’ voice, Frisk gave a little squeak. She hid her face under her covers, desperate to disappear but Undyne got up and gave her a smile, “It is probably nothing. Everything is fine.”

Undyne opened the door and before Sans could speak, the lights in his eye sockets went straight to Frisk, noticing her flushed face. Frowning, he looked at the nurse questionably but Undyne held firm. She crossed her arms and stared at the skeleton until he sheepishly returned to what he was here to do. “I found something on the fourth floor.” He grunted, “Dad is up to something strange.”

Frisk walked over to them, her curiosity growing. “What did you find? Was Chara alone up there?”

Sans nodded, “I hate to admit it but I think she was telling the truth…or at least, some of the truth. That was the first time I had ever been up there and it was empty. The doors were all unlocked all nearly every room was barren. The only patient up there was Chara. Dad led me to believe that we had at least thirty patients but counting you Frisk, we have nine. Where are all the other patients?”

“Perhaps Doctor Gaster was only bragging?” Undyne suggested, “You know how big his ego is.”

“That could be true,” Sans admitted, “but that does not stop me from feelin’ that something really bad happened there. I want to investigate further but I would feel better if I had some backup. It would also be prudent to have someone standing guard downstairs in case my dad returns home.”

“Papyrus could stand guard.” Undyne suggested, “I could go with you if you want some company.”

Sans nodded, the lights in his eye sockets flickering to Frisk. “Don’t be scared, sweetheart. No matter what Chara says, we will protect you. Nobody will dare hurt you, not while I am around!”

Frisk nodded, determination in her eyes. “I know you will and to help, I will be going with you.”


	9. Chapter 9

“The fourth floor is the most dangerous area of the asylum.” Sans worried, “You should stay here.”

The skeleton stood in Frisk’s doorway, looking at Undyne, hoping the fish monster would back up his argument, but this time he was alone. Even if he was a Gaster, his last name alone was not enough to convince Undyne to budge in her opinion. “You saw how Chara was! Violent lunatics are housed up there and I worry for your safety.” He added weekly, practically begging her to stay.

“What about you?” Frisk demanded, “If you are going there, then I want to be there for support!”

Sans looked at the young woman, feeling her gaze boring into him. He sweated nervously, but Frisk was not done. Feeling a sudden rush of determination, she reached for his hand and smiled softly. “At some point you are going to have to choose how you are going to treat me. Am I just your hysteric patient or am I your friend? I may not know magic but I still want to be there with you, so please…let me come. We will not be up there for long and I trust that you can protect us.”

His defenses were breaking. In one last desperate attempt, he looked back at Undyne but she just crossed her arms and grunted in an irritated manner. “The small fry will only follow us regardless.”

Sighing in frustration, Sans gave up and scowled. “You really are determined to come, aren’t you?”

Frisk nodded, trying not to look too pleased with herself. “Well…if I cannot change your mind, then the next best thing would be to keep ya by my side at all times. We cannot have ya wanderin’ around up there all alone. Chara’s door is locked but there could be other violent patients who have managed to escape. I would feel much better if I can keep an eye socket on ya. Undyne? Can ya please tell Papyrus to stand guard? With my bro keeping watch downstairs, we would not have to worry about my father appearing unannounced. Then we you are done, ya can go join us upstairs.”

Undyne smiled knowingly, giving Frisk a mischievous wink. “You got it! I will be back in a flash; don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” she teased. She ran down the hallway, cackling with laughter and the sound of it echoed back into the room. Frisk glanced shyly at Sans but the skeleton merely gave a low, irritated growl. He shuffled to the elevator with Frisk following close behind. Despite having agreed to this plan, Sans still felt as if he were leading the woman straight into a lion’s den. Did Frisk think this was some sort of game? He was beyond happy that she wanted to spend time with him but why was she willing to risk her life for a moment in his company? How could she not see that he was not worth her safety? He was a terrible monster for feeling so happy about it…

They stood awkwardly at the elevator door until there was a soft pinging noise. As the doors opened, they both stepped inside, all without looking at each other. Frisk wished she could think of something clever to say, something to reassure him but her mind was drawing a blank. So, instead of words, she summoned her courage and reached for his hand again. His phalanges felt just as warm as they were before but while startled, Sans did not pull away. Instead, the skeleton flushed cyan and squeezed her hand back, his frown fading when she gave a contented little sigh.

“Sans, I was wondering…can I ask you a real personal question?” Frisk asked, her mouth hiding a smile as she looked at him. “Since you are a skeleton monster, you probably know the answer.” 

Taken aback by her tone, Sans looked at the woman in confusion. “Sure sweetheart, what is it?”

Leaning in closer, Frisk’s face was inches away from his own. He could feel her breath as she whispered, “I know you like music, so I was wondering, what is a skeleton’s favorite instrument?”

Frisk giggled, watching as he struggled to reply. “A favorite… instrument? I…um, like the piano?”

She laughed louder, “No silly! A skeleton’s favorite instrument is the trombone! Okay, how about this one? This joke is really good! What did the monster chef say to the skeletons at his restaurant?”

The sudden realization of her intentions, caused Sans to smirk. “Bone-appetite!”

“Sans! You just ruined the punchline!” Frisk whined. The skeleton looked away, sheepishly but Frisk just elbowed him and laughed. “Hey, do not worry about it! It is not that big of a deal; I am just pulling your leg. Heh, knowing my luck, you probably have already heard these jokes before.”

“Yes, but they are still good rib ticklers!” Sans said, chuckling. “You always seem to surprise me.”

Frisk beamed happily as she leaned against him, her cheeks pink. Suddenly the sound of the elevator door dinging brought them out of their cheerful thoughts. With the whoosh, they stepped out onto the fourth floor and looked around curiously. At first glance, it looked like all the other levels. The area was completely sterile, with white walls and a black tiled floor. There were two hallways, one to the right and one straight ahead, both directions having patient rooms on all sides.

The air was freezing cold and as they walked past, every door was swung wide open. Sans could handle the darkness; he could handle the cold but when it came to the emptiness of the upper floor, it was enough to chill him to the bone. Every deep-seated instinct told him to be on edge and he kept his eyes peeled for any sign of movement. Despite his earlier reluctance, Sans was grateful for Frisk’s company and how her warm little hand was entwined with his. It distracted him from thinking about the missing patients. It kept his thoughts from wandering to countless possibilities.

The killers he had once feared could be running loose around the asylum. Chara had managed to find her way downstairs…who’s to say the others might follow? Some of Ebott City’s most dangerous lunatics, could be stalking the halls and until they were found, they could be anywhere.

Unlike the Gaster home, the asylum had brand new electric lights that hung from the ceilings. Normally, such a useful invention would be heaven sent…but the lights had a way of making the shadows seem long and forbidding. They flickered a bit as the rainstorm pounded the building outside and the wind made the windows shake. Every noise put Sans on edge. The buzzing noise of the light bulbs, the sound of their footsteps on the tile and the faint creaking noise of the building.

Everything felt wrong and every noise sounded like an enemy. Frisk seemed to be spooked too and she whispered to Sans, “This level is creepier than I thought. Why, it is no wonder you were so anxious about it! There is also that peculiar feeling of being watched. Do you sense it too Sans?”

“Yes…so stay close to me kiddo. We do not know who or what is lurking behind that corner…”

As they walked, the skeleton pointed to the only locked door on the fourth floor. Familiar laughter was coming from inside the room and every so often, there was a bang that sounded from the door.  
The wooden frame shuddered at the impact but the barrier stood firm, regardless. Frisk flinched at the loud sound but Sans squeezed her hand reassuringly. “I made sure that Chara’s door was well secured before I locked her in there. Trust me, she is not getting out! For some reason, the door was undamaged, so I am hoping her escape was a one-time deal. I do not want another bad time!”

“Frisk…” Chara called from behind the door. “I know you are there, partner! You will never escape! Doctor Gaster will find you and he will tear the soul out from your body! I warned you!”

Ignoring the crazy woman’s taunting, Frisk increased her speed. She wanted to get away from that voice and the glint of red eyes that stared at her through the barred window of the door. Even if Chara was well secured, her stare was enough to make the hairs of her neck stand on end and Frisk wanted nothing more to do with her. Sans noticed her fear and said nothing. He too increased his speed and soon the two of them turned a corner, following the hallway as it opened up into a much bigger room. It was easily the biggest room in the asylum, with a multitude of single beds in rows.

Most of the single beds were neat and tidy, but a few were left unmade. At first glance it seemed very ordinary. It seemed benign, as if the occupants had only just woken up from their slumber but upon further inspection, the evidence said otherwise. Thick chains bolted the beds to the floor and long shackles were tied to the bedposts, leading to the ominous conclusion that remained unspoken among the two wanderers. On impulse, Sans put his hand on an unmade bed to check for warmth.

It was cold. If there had been a patient there, they were long since gone. Whether it had been a mere few hours, or if it had been longer, it was impossible to tell for certain. The only clues of life, aside from the beds, were large puddles of blood dried to the ground. Sans sighed, trying hard to keep up his calm façade. “This is what troubles me the most.” He explained, “At least I can think of reasons for the empty patient rooms but this? I can only imagine the atrocities that happened on this floor. What had my dad been up to? What happened? Why is there so much blood spilled?!”

The words died off when he noticed that Frisk was breathing funny. Whether it was the sight of blood or the rancid smell of rotten meat that permeated the air, Sans realized that something was wrong. He watched in horror as the young woman stumbled forward, her hand on her mouth to keep herself from vomiting. She stumbled past the pools of dried blood and collapsed onto the floor with Sans rushing to her side. Frisk struggled hard to catch her breath, the corset not helping but after a minute, all seemed well again. As the two rested, familiar footsteps came from nearby.

Undyne came rushing into the large room, running at top speed. When she spotted them, the fish monster gave a sigh of relief. She bent down to catch her breath and then with a flick her hand, she brushed away the long strands of red hair out of her eyes. “Sans! Frisk! There you are! I have been looking everywhere for you two!” She exclaimed, grinning her toothy grin. “You two are faster than I thought. I had barely checked the other hallway before I heard your voices, so I ran here as fast as I could. What is going on? Why are you on the floor? Did something happen that I…oh…”

The fish monster paused, noticing for the first time the state of Frisk and the telltale stains on the floor. “Please tell me that is not blood. Did it come from Frisk? Was there a fight? Was it Chara?”

She summoned one of her spears and stared around the room, looking for an attacker but Sans shook his head, all the while cradling the human close to his body. “The blood did not come from Frisk; she just felt a bit dizzy. Thank you for being our backup, Undyne. I really appreciate it. There is something about this floor that has me on edge and with our discoveries, well, I suspect that my dad has been doing some terrible things. It is nice to have a monster like you on our side.”

“Well…I suppose you are not as stuck up as I first assumed.” Undyne admitted wryly, “The small fry is not so bad either. You both needed me, so I came. I don’t let my friends go into battle alone.”

Frisk suddenly straightened up. Her face was pale but she was determined to regain her footing. Sans doted on her, watching her carefully for any hints of fainting but the young woman stubbornly held her own and looked back at the red stains on the floor. “There is something very wrong here.”

“Sweetheart, you should be resting.” Sans fretted, “Do not worry about the blood, it will be okay.”

Her eyes narrowed, as she shook her head. “Nothing about this is okay! Ever since I arrived here, every room, every floor as been clean and orderly. It has been almost unnaturally clean but for some reason, this level is nothing but a blood bath. Why did nobody bother to clean it up? Chara is right, something bad did happen here and will probably happen again. A riot, perhaps? Do you suppose the patients rebelled against Doctor Gaster? Perhaps, they all tried to attack him at once? Maybe some of them managed to get free! Maybe Doctor Gaster is trying to cover up the scandal!”

Her eyes were bright with determination as she voiced her theory, but Sans did not look convinced.

“More likely they all died.” Sans said quietly, “Even if they all attacked him at once, even if they had weapons, my father is a master at using blue magic. It would not have been a very fair fight…”

Frisk was silent but the skeleton continued, choosing his words carefully. “In most asylums, there would be iron fences surrounding the building and barricading the floors but here, we have blue magic. You saw how I used my blue magic to keep Chara from killing me, now imagine that skill ten times greater! One person alone takes up a lot of energy but dad can take down multiple targets at once! Blue magic is by definition, gravity magic. Once a soul is turned blue, it shifts the gravity of the captured person and I can make them heavy or light weight. The magic keeps them still and unless the wielder wills it, there is no way humans can escape. For dad, an attacker is child’s play.”

“I wonder if Asgore knows about this floor?” Undyne interjected, “If Doctor Gaster doing illegal acts, we should probably tell the superintendent. This isn’t right and he is stronger than all of us.”

Sans was about to answer, when he noticed that something was watching them. In the corner of his eye socket, he could see a ghost monster, shy and translucent, quietly listening in the shadows. Noticing the phantom too, Undyne and Frisk stared in surprise. Embarrassed at being caught, the ghost moaned and drifted back into the darker parts of the room. “Oh no…I am interrupting you.” He said piteously. “You all were having fun and I ruined it! Why do I ruin everything? No matter how hard I try. Why am I even here? Ooohhh…I am just making things worse! Forget about me!”

Tears dripped on the floor as the ghost phased through the walls and with that, Undyne took chase. 

“Wait! Come back here!” She yelled, sprinting out of the room. “Come back here right now! We have so many questions! Argh! Stop floating away, damnit! Why were you spying on us? Who sent you? Grr…alright, you asked for it. If you do not stop now, I will attack, and I mean business!”

The terrified ghost did not stop. If anything, he sped up and led Undyne on a wild chase around the upper level, to the point where he was unable to listen to her, even if she had issued a new warning. Growing more irritated, Undyne summoned her spears and threw them, one after another, until they hit the walls just in from of where the ghost was floating. At first it seemed as if nothing happened but then suddenly, just when he tried to phase through them, the magic repelled the pale monster, stunning him just enough that he stayed in place. The ghost now looked at them fearfully.

He moaned and shook when he saw Undyne holding another spear, he cried more tears when he saw that Frisk and Sans were not far behind. His sobbing, all the while irritating Undyne further as she glared at him. “Stop all that crying! This is your own damn fault for not obeying me sooner.”

“What do you want from me?” The ghost wailed, “Why are you trying to dust me? I never meant you or your friends any harm. I was just lonely and curious. The doctor rarely visits me anymore.”

Sans, annoyed by the sudden burst of exercise was in no mood for game. His eye glowed cyan and he stared down the ghost. “What doctor? Do you mean Doctor Gaster? What happened up here?”

The ghost said nothing, flinching at Sans’ angry words. He looked as if he wanted to make himself so small, that he would go unnoticed but then Frisk stepped in. She gently pushed the skeleton aside so she can get a better look at him. “Worry not my friend. We will not hurt you. All is well.”

“That…that is not what she said.” The ghost whimpered, looking at Undyne. “Why does everyone hate me? I did nothing wrong. I was just here. I promise, I will not spy on anyone else ever again.”

“We do not hate you.” Frisk reassured, “Despite their fierce appearance, my friends are truly kindhearted people. We just want to talk to you. It will not take long and after a short conversation, you can go back to doing what you were doing. So how about it? Can we just start over for now?”

“I…I suppose we can do that.” The ghost answered, “As long as no more spears are thrown at me.”

Undyne snorted loudly with contempt but Frisk smiled, “Well, I think that is a reasonable request. Okay, how about we start with our introductions? My name is Frisk Fanshaw, this is fierce warrior is Undyne and this skeleton over here is Sans. What about you? What is your name little ghost?”

“Napstablook…” The ghost mumbled, “My name is Napstablook but my friends call me Blooky.”

“Well, it is nice to meet you Blooky.” Frisk said warmly, “I hope you do not mind us being here.”

Napstablook shrugged, “It makes no difference to me. Humans come here all the time it seems…”

Sans scowled, “Are you implying something, ghost?”

“I am not implying anything.” Napstablook continued morosely, “I am just doing what I have always done. The doctor lets me haunt here in peace, as long as I keep the humans in line. I have to scare them…but I am not really good at it. Sometimes I get my cousins to help and we have a fun time together. There is a plenty of space and chains to rattle. It is also nice and cold up here.”

“It seems this is the ultimate place for a ghost monster.” Frisk agreed, looking around. “These humans that you mentioned…did any of them die? I see lots of blood. That is what put us on edge. Healthy humans do not leak blood, so me and my friends are investigating. That is why we are here on the fourth floor. We just want to know what the…doctor was up to. Has he killed anyone?”

Blooky was quiet for a moment. “Would you get mad if I said yes?”

“I would only get mad if you lied to me.” Frisk said, gritting her teeth. “So, the humans did die.”

“Only a few died, if that makes you feel better.” The ghost added, hastily. “The doctor managed to keep some of them alive, so it was not all bad. Any humans who recovered, were quickly brought back downstairs and I assume, were fixed. Those humans were scary but you are not like them Frisk. You are nice. Normally I am afraid of humans. I have heard stories about humans who like to hunt ghosts! Normally I keep my distance…but you are nice. Maybe some humans are not bad.”

Sans was getting annoyed at being ignored. He spoke louder, trying to get Blooky’s attention. “Do you know where these humans were leaking blood? Was it in the middle of their chest or was it somewhere else? Did you notice the color of their souls? Was there something, anything unusual?”

Blooky looked at the skeleton in surprise. “Unusual? Hmm…well, I did not see their souls but yes, I do believe their wounds were in the middle of their chest. Why? Does that mean…something?”

Sans said nothing, his eye sockets were dark, to the point where even the ghost looked uneasy. Frisk glanced at him and touched his shoulder bones. “Sans? I know that look. What is the matter?”

“As a doctor, as a scientist…it is important to form a good hypothesis.” Sans began, finally looking back at Frisk. “I have been slowly finding the evidence to support my educated guess and it is not looking good. My father’s mysterious machine, the forbidden floor, the missing patients and now, the gaping wounds in the chests of humans? I think…the evidence is clear that…my dad is taking the souls from the humans. Considering how gruesome the business is, it is no wonder that he had teleported them here after the machine was used. This was the floor where the patients either healed up or died, depending on the success of the experiment. By the looks of things, humans died often.”

His quiet speech was lost on Undyne as she stared at him in confusion. “Machine? Experiments?”

“This was never about some fancy award.” Sans continued, not really listening, “My dad basically told me his plan, just not in so many words. Originally, he had tried to lower the EXP of a person, specifically a human with a high LV but the plan backfired. That could be the reason for his own spike in EXP that Toriel noticed. His LV must be quite high by now and I never really noticed. I was wondering where he got all that strength. Normally, a monster’s LV will stay low all their life because it only rises…it only increases when the monster commits an act of violence just like…”

“It only increases when the monster commits an act of violence like killing humans.” Undyne finished, her face stricken. “Doctor Gaster is killing the humans in his care. Maybe not everyone but enough that his LV raises and his emotional detachment increases with each victim. Maybe he had once been kind and with good intentions but now, I think you are right Sans. This is terrible!”

Seeing Frisk’s shocked face, he tried to explain it as simply as he could. “Humans can survive without a soul but unless the connection is severed, the soul will return to the body. To remove the soul tether is very dangerous but if done right, the soulless human is nothing but an obedient slave.”


	10. Chapter 10

“What do you mean…slave?” Frisk asked, the words coming out in a whisper.

Sans hesitated, unsure if he should continue but the young woman looked so desperate for more information, that he could not very well hold back now. He touched her arm and looked deep into her eyes, while speaking as gently as he could. “The soul is the sum of a human’s memories. It is the sum of their hopes, dreams and desires. The soul allows a human to feel love, to make friends and to form emotional attachments to those around them. The soul gives the human freewill and without it, that freewill is taken away. The humans become mute and obey orders they are given.”

“My aunt Martha!” Frisk exclaimed, her realization turning to horror. “That must have been the reason why she was so different! She was committed to this asylum against her will and when she returned, she no longer had her soul. That was why she was empty. That is so undoubtedly cruel.”

The skeleton looked down in shame. “I am sorry Frisk. I wish I knew how to make this all better.”

“How can this be?!” Undyne demanded angrily, not really wanting an answer. “This should not be possible! How could he just…just sever a human’s soul tether? How could he? I…I trusted him…”

Undyne went over to one of the long rows of single beds and suplexed a mattress, throwing it hard against the wall. Bits of feathers and dust floated into the air and, landing amongst the bloodstains on the floor. Breathing heavily, Undyne collapsed on the floor, sitting with her head in her hands, her voice coming out softer, like a child’s voice. “This goes against everything we stood for! The humans abused their mentally ill, so we tried to save them from their own cruelty. I…I trusted him. I believed in his mission but he lied to me. He lied to everyone. I…I just wanted to do some good.”

Frisk had tears running down her cheeks, Napstablook had long since disappeared and Sans was left looking at the two females, feeling just as hopeless as they did. For a long time, nobody spoke.

“Yes, it is true. Doctor Gaster lied to us.” Sans said bluntly. “But moping around will not stop him. It has been a long day and it is late. I say we leave; we rest and tomorrow, tell the superintendent.”

Frisk looked unsure, “Would Asgore listen? What if he is like Doctor Gaster? What if he is worse? We could be trading one problem for another. Perhaps going to the police would be a better plan.”

Wiping her own eyes, Undyne growled. “Humans would never understand the stealing of souls, nor would they care, especially if it is the souls of those, they deem inferior. No, Asgore might have supported Doctor Gaster’s work but if he knew the real reason why the success rate was so high, well, I doubt Fluffybuns would stand for it. That old pushover would never let a patient’s well being get overlooked by a doctor’s greed. He is the best monster to put a stop to this madness.”

“I agree, Asgore is the best option.” Sans decided, “But we must hurry, dad could be back soon!”

Frisk nodded and soon, the three friends were heading back to the elevator. The empty rooms of the fourth floor now had a new meaning and even with Chara pounding the door of her enclosure, it still felt eerily quiet. Sans insisted on leading the way and his mood was not getting any better. His dark sockets, chilling aura and magic that crackled just under the surface, Frisk could sense he was sporting for a fight. Gone was the sweet, pleasant skeleton who had wanted to dance with her.

Gone was his kind smile, easy laughter and warmth. Now he seemed cold and almost…dangerous.

“Frisk? Are you okay?” Undyne asked, hesitatingly. “After learning about Doctor Gaster’s cruel intentions, I am sure you must be afraid. If it was my soul that was in danger, I know I would be.”

“I am fine…it is just…a lot to take in.” Frisk said softly. The two walked side by side, with Sans still leading the way, his speed unmatched by those with tired muscles. The long night had worn out even the strongest of them but the fish monster at least made an effort to stay awake. She gave the human a toothy smile, trying to cheer up her companion but even so, Frisk still looked weary.

“It will be okay.” Undyne promised, “I will do everything in my power to protect you from Doctor Gaster’s evil plans, so do not give up hope, alright? You have a lot of friends here. After you rest up, make sure you change into something more comfortable. We must always be ready for a fight.”

Frisk looked down, embarrassed to be still wearing the fancy dress from Paris. All of a sudden, it occurred to her how silly it was to wear in a place like this. “I probably look stupid right now.” Frisk said bitterly. “Imagine, wearing a party dress in a place where you are attacked by lunatics!”

Undyne glanced at her but shrugged dismissively, “Perhaps, but even so, I have always believed that looking great when going into battle can inspire confidence. We are going into battle soon, so we need all the confidence we can get. A soldier is still a solider, regardless of their outfit but if I might make a suggestion? Because you are such a small fry, I would suggest something more comfortable, something that you can run in. We must now be prepared for anything, so be ready.”

“Do you think Sans blames me?” Frisk wondered, “He has not spoken a word since we found out.”

Undyne gave a loud snort. “What a stupid thought! Why would he blame you? From what I gather, that old bag of bones is blaming himself on top of blaming Gaster. He is angry that his own father is threatening you. He is going to sulk, growl and push people away until he figures out what to do. It is very annoying actually. I might not have taken the news well but at least I am determined to channel my rage into something productive! He is acting like a petulant child. It is disgraceful!”

The contempt in her voice was obvious but Frisk remained unconvinced. Placing a hand over her chest, Frisk remembered the strange sensation of having her soul pulled out of her body. Despite being only for a few seconds, the feeling was enough to make her understand that emptiness left behind. At least she had been warned, Aunt Martha must have been terrified! Despite being totally ignorant to what was happening, surely, she must have seen all the blood and heard the screams!

Insane asylums were supposed to help people, but this one had been turned into a factory. It churned out empty humans and made a profit by doing so, all to keep troublemakers under control. Humans, oblivious to the power of souls, must have thought this place was a miracle. A hysterical woman could be transformed into the perfect wife…silent, submissive and fully obedient to her husband. It made sense why Mr. Ward dragged her here, he must have hoped the rumors were true.

“Undyne, can you please take Frisk back to her room?” Sans asked, when they had made it back to the third floor. “You did a good job guarding her and I feel better knowing she is in safe hands.”

Sans stood emotionlessly in front of the elevator, his tone cold, despite the warmth in the meaning.

“No.” Undyne replied bluntly, “Take her there yourself. I need to find Alphys and talk with her. If Doctor Gaster is truly as evil as we believe he is, then my own love is in a vulnerable position. She has no idea of what he is capable of and that scares me. What if Alphys stumbles into his plots by accident? I must warn her. I also plan on searching for the superintendent. We must tell him too.” 

“This is not a request.” Sans growled, “It is nearly dawn! My father will be returning home soon and I need your support. Finding Asgore will take too much time. Stop making this all about you!”

Undyne gave a disdainful snort, “Funny, I could say the very same thing about you…sir.”

She marched off to find her girlfriend, leaving Frisk awkwardly looking at Sans. The small angry skeleton was not taking the rebellion well. He sighed and rubbed his temples, trying to calm the magic that sparked off his bones. “This day just keeps getting better and better. All right Frisk, I guess it will be just the two of us. Let’s get you back to your room, hmm? I cannot stay long. It seems that Undyne is not in the mood to help a monster out tonight. Her selfishness could kill us.”

“Her selfishness?” Frisk repeated, her tone brittle. “Undyne has been anything but selfish tonight!”

Sans stared at the young woman in surprise. “I did not mean…”

“Undyne did not have to come with us upstairs, but she did.” Frisk reminded him. “If Doctor Gaster knew that she was investigating things that did not concern her, he could have fired her. He could have killed her, if he felt she was a threat. She has worked with Doctor Gaster for almost nine years and had great loyalty to him but he betrayed her. How do you think she feels? She was angry but at least she had the sense to think rationally. She even comforted me, when you did not even care.”

In stunned silence, Sans stared at the woman and witnessed her rage. She was seething now; her eyes were red with fiery determination. “I thought you were a better man, but now? I am not so sure. You are selfish, just like the rest of them. Do you seriously, not know that I care about you? You would rather lock me in a room, while you go off to fight your father alone. Do you know how much that hurts me? Something could happen to you and I…it would break my heart, Sans.”

Frisk’s face was wet with tears as she ran back to room 313. She was so upset, she did not realize that he had already teleported in front of her and when she tried to get past him, Sans stubbornly stood his ground. His eye sockets were full of unspoken emotions and when she angrily hit at him, he instead pulled her close and hugged her. Frisk’s body collapsed into his and she sobbed into his shoulder bones. For a long time, they stood like that, finding comfort in just holding onto the other.

“I am sorry.” Sans said quietly.

“Sorry for what?” Frisk demanded angrily, “Sorry for what you are doing to me? Sorry for how you treated Undyne and even Alphys, sometimes? Sorry for making me think that it was remotely possible for a doctor to love his hysteric patient? Is winning my love some sort of game to you?!”

“I am sorry for hurting ya.” Sans continued, wiping a tear from her cheek. “I am sorry that I took Undyne for granted. I am sorry that you are even in this mess! I know that I have been a bonehead.”

Frisk resisted the urge to smile at the pun but it did not matter. The skeleton monster, who had been so angry before, looked at her with the warmest affection. “I never expected to fall for ya Frisk. My goal was to humanely treat your hysteria and get on with my life. I knew dad was cold but this was beyond what I imagined. I was not blaming you; I was blaming myself. I am the one who keep’s putting you in harm’s way. I should be helping ya leave this terrible place. You do not belong in a lunatic asylum. You are not a hysteric. I have actually seen what true insanity looks like and you could not be further from it, sweetheart. You should be far away from this asylum.”

“Even if I left, I have nowhere to go.” Frisk admitted, “I can never go back home. I am all alone.”

“You are not alone anymore.” Sans amended, his smile growing wider. “I plan on goin’ with ya and we can figure out our next step together. We can find a new home, just the two of us…if ya will have me. We can live together as husband and wife, or just as friends…if that is what ya would prefer. I can no longer work in a place like this. It is not treatment to take a human’s soul to make them complacent and obedient, it is slavery. It makes me sick knowing that my own father has been doing this for years. How can I face him? How can I work alongside him, knowing what he is doing to the humans in our care? He wants me to be his successor, but I could never continue that horrid technique. No, I became a doctor because I wanted to do some good and thus, I shall.” 

The woman blushed; her anger forgotten as she tried to comprehend. “You…want to marry me?”

Sans nodded, going over to hold Frisk’s hands, getting on one knee. “I know you already have a fiancé, as terrible as he may be but I love ya Frisk. I want to keep ya safe and protected. I want to make sure that you are happy for the rest of your days. I love ya so much, do you feel the same?”

“Yes, I do love you Sans.” Frisk beamed, “I would be the happiest woman in the world if I can be your wife but I do have one condition. Do not shut me out. Please be open and honest with me because for despite my determination, I am not a mind reader. I want to be there for you, always.”

“Heh, I guess I can agree to your condition.” Sans smirked, and on sheer impulse, Frisk bent over and kissed him. Wrapping her arms around his skeletal frame, she pressed her lips to his mouth and felt him respond in kind. His bones were warm and comforting, his kiss was hungry and searching, and when she felt his tongue against her lips, Frisk gave a tiny moan of pleasure as she felt his magic spark against her skin. Sans took his time kissing her…as only a patient soul could.

His eye sockets were closed as he breathed in her sweet scent. He gently nuzzled her and kissed her slowly, moving from her lips, to her jawline, to her neck, peppering it with little kisses as he went. Sans could feel her soul calling out to his own, like a siren’s call luring him to the edge but he resisted, holding back and ignoring his primal instincts. Instead, he just let himself hold her close and lingered for a little while longer. He had wanted this for so long, it felt almost a dream.

“I should go.” Sans said reluctantly, “It is nearly dawn and ya still need your sleep, sweetheart.”

“Stay with me?” His lady requested, but she already knew the answer.

“You have no idea how much I want to stay…” Sans groaned, “But my dad will be returning home soon. I must destroy that evil machine. I must stop him from hurting more people. We cannot wait for Undyne to fetch Asgore, it will take too long! If we don’t act now, you could be the next person he takes their soul from! As soon as my dad is defeated, I will come for ya We can run away together and nobody, not even Arthur Ward will be able to come between us. This I promise you.”

Frisk nodded and reluctantly released her grip from his body. Sans smiled affectionately, giving her hand a farewell kiss before leaving the room. The moment that room 313 was behind him, his sockets darkened as he thought about what he must do. He gave a tired yawn but shook his skull, trying to stay awake, despite the early hours. His bed was tempting. Frisk was tempting but it did not change the fact that humans had been murdered. Sleep could wait, he now had a score to settle.

As he went down to the first floor, he noted that things seemed unusually normal despite his new revelation. The staff were just beginning their morning routines and some of the patients were now stirring from their beds. The scent of food permeated the air as Toriel Dreemurr made the breakfast and nurses carried the food upstairs, along with the usual pills and medicines given to the patients.

How nice things must be to the unaware. How simple life must be to the naïve and the oblivious.

Sans was just about to turn the corner to the lobby when he heard the sounds of his brother chatting to someone in the sitting room. Wingdings Gaster had returned and was leaning back in his chair, bored as Papyrus gave the latest news of the day. Their father nodded his head at the appropriate times but when he saw Sans in the doorway, Doctor Gaster put his hands up to silence Papyrus. Ignoring the confusion of leaving his youngest in midsentence, Doctor Gaster gave a devilish grin.

“Good morning son.” He said cheerfully, “How nice to see you awake and at your post on time.”

Sans stared wordlessly at his father; his fists clenched tight but he controlled his anger. Now was not the time or place to start a fight, especially with Papyrus in the room. His brother was too good, too kind to know what atrocities their father had committed, so gritting his teeth, Sans nodded and went the other way, away from Gaster and his cunning smile. His father followed him close behind.

“What? No witty reply? No joke? No quip for your old dad?” Gaster asked, feigning hurt. “That is not like you Sans! Did something happen when I was gone? Did our patients cause you trouble?”

“Everything was fine.” Sans grumbled, “It was a boring evening. Nothing interesting happened.”

For a long time, Doctor Gaster studied his eldest son. Sans looked tired, his magic was flushed around his cheekbones and the strong scent of human female lingered on his bones. Gaster’s sockets darkened and he gave a low chuckle, shaking his skull with disbelief. “Oh…I doubt that!” 

He circled his son, forcing Sans to look at him. “In fact, I think you had a very busy night. I can always tell when you are lying to me. Did you know that you grimace, every time when you tell a lie? You need to work on that. Anyway, I assume that you have already met our upstairs patient?”

Sans froze in place, trying to seem calm and collected. “I do not know what you are talkin’ about.”

“Oh, stop playing dumb! You know perfectly well what I am talking about!” Doctor Gaster taunted. “Chara is quite the little fighter, isn’t she? So, as a reward for her good behavior, I let her out to play with you and the rest of the staff. I had a feeling you were up to something. Your skull has been in the clouds ever since you met that Frisk girl, so I figured it was time to teach you a lesson on dealing with a real hysteric. To be a good alienist, you must be prepared for anything. If you met a truly determined female, perhaps you can finally understand how dangerous they can be. Why, even our Frisk has that potential to turn deadly. We must always be on our guard Sans.”


	11. Chapter 11

Sans paused, looking his dad in disbelief. “You let a murderer out of her room without giving us any warning? Chara nearly killed me! She attacked me with a knife! What kind of doctor are you?”

“The kind that teaches his son a lesson.” Gaster retorted coldly. With a sudden move, he grabbed hold of Sans and teleported him back to the fourth floor. His grip was strong, his magic was even stronger and Sans could not get free. When they arrived, Gaster dragged him to the room of beds, as if he were a ragdoll. In this emotional state, Sans could sense his dad’s composure was failing.

“A doctor that works with insane patients does not have the luxury for kindness.” His father sneered, “Humans are cruel creatures that will dust you if given the chance. The only difference between Chara and Frisk is that Chara does not care about the consequences. You are such a fool!”

“Leave Frisk out of this.” Sans growled, “You do not know her. You do not deserve to be in the same room as her, much less, able to say her name. She is nothing but a victim to your planning.”

Gaster said nothing. Instead, with eye sockets black as night, he tossed Sans onto one of the empty beds and shackled him with the chains. Electricity sparked against the metal, sending a sharp pain through his marrow, making it hard to speak. “I will get out of here…I will stop you.” He croaked. 

“Oh Sans…you still do not see the bigger picture.” Doctor Gaster sighed, “I thought this would help you understand but you are much too stubborn. I must remember that while you are intelligent, you still take after your mother. She was like you…kind to humans until one decided to dust her.”

At that moment, his henchmonsters Aaron and Goliath came into the room. They were dragging Chara along behind them, the angry woman firmly secured in a straight jacket. She struggled a bit but her binds held tight and when she tried to run, Doctor Gaster flicked his wrist indifferently and soon her soul was coated in blue magic, the kind that weighed her down so much it was hard for her to breathe. The woman faltered, but that did not stop her from staring defiantly at her captors.

Her eyes were a dark, determined red. “You lied to me! You said I could go free if I helped you.”

Goliath gave her a hard slap. “Shut your mouth, vermin! The doctor does not owe you anything!”

The wolf monster showed her his teeth but Chara did not care. She spat out blood and looked at Doctor Gaster with pure hatred. “You dirty, double crossing bastard! You disgusting pile of bones! I will dust you for this! I will dust every single monster in this hellhole and destroy the remains!”

“Yes, yes…get it out of your system.” Gaster said indifferently, he increased the blue magic and made the muscles of Chara’s face even harder to move. She shrieked in sheer agony but the sound was muted as the monster lackey, Aaron shoved a cloth into her mouth. The merhorse chortled and gave Doctor Gaster a knowing wink. “Good one boss! That will teach the little bitch to talk back.”

Sans said nothing, his eye sockets drawn to Chara. She was really not much older than Frisk and despite his distaste for this particular human, Sans could not help but feel sorry for her. Her body could barely withstand the intense blue magic that his father was wielding and if he issued any more, Chara’s body could break under all the pressure. Nobody, no human nor monster, no sane person nor lunatic, should be subjected to this kind of abuse. Mercy should always be their default.

“Stop it! You are going to kill her!” Sans exclaimed; his eye sockets fixed on the agonized woman.

Doctor Gaster ignored his son’s outburst and continued to speak in a tone, so gentle and patient, it was as if he were instructing a very stupid child. “I will make you see reason, my son. No matter how long it takes, I will mold you into the alienist that you were meant to be. Now do listen closely. Chara Anderson came from a family of four. She had two parents of high standing and a younger brother that she loved very much. However, things were not good in the Anderson family. Chara’s father was physically abusive, her mother was indifferent and the two children suffered from it.”

The tall skeleton walked around the room, looking distant as he spoke. Doctor Gaster seemed to enjoy telling the tale, glancing back at Chara, every so often to garner her reaction. The woman said nothing but if looks could kill, Sans knew that his father would have been dust where he stood.

“So, yes…her father was a violent and uncaring man.” Gaster continued, “It got to a point, where after a particularly painful beating, Chara came up with a plan. While their mother was out, she and her brother would kill their father. It was a simple plan really. If the father was dead, they would no longer suffer. If their father was dead, they would no longer feel his wrath. So, the two of them waited until the man was fast asleep in his chair. Chara grabbed the knife but in a brief moment of weakness, the little brother became scared. His panicked cries woke up the father and, in his fury, the man attacked. The boy was closest, so the father threw him hard against the wall. The impact broke the boy’s neck and Chara, who was still holding the knife, could only watch in horror and disbelief as her little sibling fell dead. It was quite a pathetic story really, but I digress.”

“Please…stop…talking.” Chara grunted, struggling to breathe. “No more…please…say no more.”

Amused by the human woman’s desperation, Doctor Gaster paused and looked down at her. He smiled condescendingly and shook his skull. “Determination is a very powerful weapon. When it is harnessed properly, the potential to create change is almost…unfathomable. It was the desire for revenge that powered this small being’s need to kill, for she attacked her father and stabbed him multiple times. She watched the blood flow out of him and stood over his corpse triumphant. It was around that time that her mother came home and naturally, she saw the bodies of her husband and son. She also saw her daughter holding the knife in her hand, so the mother called the police. The authorities witnessed Chara’s hysterical rage and without a second thought, they brought her to our asylum. Her mother agreed to have her committed and thus she remained, left in our charge.” 

By now Chara’s eyes were wet with tears but the blue magic kept her from acting further. She could not move, she could not sob, all she could do was stare at them. Sans studied her, noting that the strong determination was now fading away and her eyes were back to a normal green. Doctor Gaster smirked, enjoying the feeling of power over his prisoner. After a minute, he turned to Sans.

“Son? Can you please tell me the normal course of action when dealing with hysterical woman?”

“Isolation.” Sans answered quietly, “A hysterical woman would be prescribed isolation, drugged with opiates and most common, a strong massage of their pelvis to achieve hysterical paroxysm.”

Doctor Gaster nodded proudly. “Very good! It seems you are learning. Now as you said before, it seems cruel to apply these…techniques on the human women. That there has to be a better way?”

“I was taught mercy was the best course of action.” Sans said, his eye sockets still fixed on Chara. “While I was in university, the professors theorized that lunatics do not choose to be lunatics, that really they are sick and need doctors to help them heal. Just as a human body might contract a sickness, so too we must go about this the same way. Locking them away or drugging them does not solve the problem. If anything, it makes the problem worse. The lunatics need to be protected.”

Doctor Gaster laughed. “Protected? Mercy? You said it yourself, this human almost killed you! Do you really think kindness is going to stop Chara from being a killer? You cannot remove LV!”

His father walked over to a closet and when he came back, he was holding a jar with a magic seal on the top. It seemed simple but Sans could sense there was something more to this glass container.

“If you wanted a humane way to fix the lunatics, this is the way to do it!” Gaster announced proudly, “I have discovered that if you remove the soul, you remove the problem. No longer are these poor determined women subjected to the pains of having a soul. No longer are the mentally incompetent trapped by their low IQ or damaged brain. These humans will no longer have the hard burden of dealing with emotions caused by an unfair world. By removing their soul’s connection, these humans are free. After recovery, they can all go home and live their relatively normal lives.”

“Removing their souls is not humane! It is makes them slaves!” Sans snapped, his patience fading.

“How are they slaves if they do not know they are slaves?” Doctor Gaster countered. “Without the soul, a human has no memories, fears or emotions. They just follow orders like they are supposed to. Surely this is better than being locked away or drugged on opiates! Despite what the human alienists of today might think, opiates only damage the body. I have studied their usual procedures and I noticed that it creates as addiction that when going without, the withdrawal makes them worse. If that does not convince you, what about hysterical paroxysm? That exhausting method is only short term and it does not keep the determined woman from being determined, it is useless!”

Sans said nothing, unable to dispute the facts his dad listed. Still, his eye glowed cyan as he tried to escape the shackles. The metal pulled at his low HP and weakened him, making it hard to focus.

“Anyway, it does not matter what you think. I have learned so much about the soul, the soul tether and EXP through my experimentation. When the World’s Fair comes around, the humans will see my grand inventions and be amazed. I will surely win the Nobel Peace prize for my discoveries!”

“This was never about winning an award.” Sans scoffed. “This was just a sick way to gain power.”

His father shrugged, “Believe what you like. It does not matter to me. Now unless you have any more questions, I will be taking my leave. Chara has an appointment with the soul extractor and the buyer for her body will be here soon. I must prepare and you know how I despise being tardy.”

“Yeah, I have a question. What do you do with the souls?” Sans asked, “Do you absorb them all?”

Doctor Gaster gave a short laugh. “Me? Absorb the souls of humans? What a ridiculous notion! No, my son. I am a businessman and I like to make a profit in any way that I can. Normally I sell the body back to the family but if that is not the case, I occasionally sell the body to a brothel or a workhouse. There is always a buyer for those. As for the soul…well, a human’s soul is far more valuable than the flesh it is encased in. One soul can make a monster very powerful. As you know, there is a Great War across the sea. Every day, more and more monsters are being drafted and they will pay top dollar if it meant they could absorb a human soul. The soul is a powerful weapon and it can make them unstoppable in battle! It has become quite a lucrative job in the last few months.”

“So that’s what this is all about!” Sans snarled, “You have always been greedy for a bit of gold.”

The older monster grinned a wide, elongated smile. The cracks from his previous injury still very apparent and untreated, giving him a creepy look. “Of course, I like gold. Money is the only way a monster can move up in the world. Humans treat us like garbage but with a little bit of gold, rich monsters have superiority over poor humans. How else do you think I paid for these grand modern conveniences? Electric lights are very expensive and that electric elevator was not cheap either. It is not as if Asgore will contribute anything. It is important to impress our asylum’s patrons, Sans.”

Glancing at his pocket watch, Doctor Gaster sighed. “Oh dear, it seems that I have run out of time! Regrettably, we must continue this lesson another time. I will make you see the sense of my logic eventually. I am a very patient monster and as my heir, I expect you to continue this noble work.”

“I will stop you.” Sans vowed, “I will get out of here and I will stop you. You are the insane one.”

Ignoring his son, Doctor Gaster turned to Goliath and Aaron who stood waiting nearby. “I want you both to keep an eye on Sans. He is going to stay locked up here until he can calm down and think about my offer properly. He is too worked up to be logical now. The extraction will not take long and I will be back soon. When Chara forfeits her soul, we can begin on the others. If that red soul of hers is as strong as I think it is, well, we shall be rich monsters indeed! Think of the gold!”

Goliath grinned eagerly, his sharp teeth rivaling Undyne’s as he smiled back at his skeleton master.

Before he left, Doctor Gaster gave his son one last look. Sans stared at him defiantly but the older monster paid him no mind. “Do not think about trying to teleport away. Those are magical shackles, I built them myself. They will not kill you but instead, they will slowly drain away your energy and HP until you are at your barest minimum for survival. If you behave while I am gone, I might just let you see Frisk one more time before I take her soul away too. It might be early, but I do know for a fact that her buyer will pay me top dollar if he can have her soulless body to enjoy.”

At this, Sans flew into a rage. He pulled at his restraints, his one eye glowed bright cyan and he bared his teeth snarling at his father who stared back at him impassively. “I…. will…stop…you!”

Doctor Gaster smirked, “You keep saying that but somehow, I remain unafraid by your temper tantrum. This is for the greater good and once the girl is gone, she will no longer be a distraction.”

“You cannot keep me here forever.” Sans vowed. “I will get out! You will be stopped. I am not the only one who knows about your plan. As we speak, Asgore is being informed of your machine. I may not be strong but Asgore is a far higher LV than you will ever be and he will fight for us.”

“Perhaps…” Gaster chuckled, “But really Sans, who is he going to believe? The families of every human I have worked with, have given me nothing but praise. I have an excellent reputation in Ebott City. I have been called a miracle worker. People have paid me thousands of gold to make their unpleasant females more cooperative. You are just an apprentice, barely anything in his eyes.”

Giving the last word, Doctor Gaster left. His lackeys hung around obediently, while Sans, feeling exhausted and defeated, hung his head in despair. There was nothing he could do to save Chara and soon Frisk would share the same fate. The cold temperature of the fourth floor sunk into his bones and he stared at the bloodstains, evidence of the humans who were once chained to the exact same spot. How many of them were feeling hopeless, feeling their life drain out of them drop by drop? A severed soul tether must be painful. All of those humans, treated as indifferently as cattle.

Sans carefully adjusted his bones on the single bed, trying to get comfortable as he rested his skull on the pillow. The bed was not very comfortable. It was hardly as firm as his own bed back in his room, but between the dance with Frisk, his fight with Chara and the discovery of the fourth floor, it was easy to feel drowsy. The room was very quiet, with only his two guards whispering amongst themselves. Soon, his mind became blissfully blank as he fell into a pleasant, dreamless slumber.

“Sans…” A voice whispered next to him. “Sans…get up now. You must get up! Frisk is in danger.”

The skeleton turned over, trying hard to fall back asleep but the voice was nagging him in a low, moaning whisper. “Sans…now is the time to wake up. The doctor is going to hurt the nice human.”

Sans gave a snort and sat up, blearily looking around. This was not his bed. This was not his room. He lifted up his arms and felt the shackles spark against his bones. Aside from staying up all night, the shackles were slowly draining his energy and suddenly, realization hit him like a lightning bolt. Frisk! His father was going to suck out her soul, like he planned to suck out Chara’s! It might even be happening now! He had to get out of here! Sans studied the metal that held him down intently. If there was a way out, it would be by removing these shackles…but how? They were too strong…

“Oh good, you are awake!” The voice said, “You were asleep for a long time. You looked dead.”

Sans looked up in surprise and saw Napstablook. He was semitransparent but the ghost was slowly hovering above the bed he was chained too. He looked at him with solemn eyes and unlike the last time, he did not seem scared or sad, but the ghost still eyed Aaron and Goliath nervously. Both monsters had fallen asleep on the nearby beds, obviously bored at guarding their chained prisoner.

“Your HP is very low.” Napstablook commented, “If not dead, you look like you are slowly dying. What should I do? Should I get food? Should I go look for help? Ooooohhh...I am not good in situations like this! Usually my cousin, Happstablook is the one to make plans and act on them. I feel so useless. Why would the doctor hurt you? Aren’t you his family? This is not looking good.”

“First you must stay calm, Blooky.” Sans said, “I am not dust yet! We will figure this out together.”

Napstablook nodded solemnly while the skeleton considered his options. He lifted his shackles again, careful not to make too much noise and then he looked at his prison guards. Suddenly, the idea hit him and he grinned. “Blooky…do you have the ability to move some corporeal objects?”

“Yes…but what does that have to do with anything?” Napstablook wondered, looking bewildered.

“It matters because I think I might have found our way out of here. Listen, here’s what we’ll do.”


	12. Chapter 12

Drifting in and out of sleep, Frisk felt the nagging sense that something was wrong. At first, she did not think much of it. Her body needed rest and her bed was warm and soft, but it still plagued her like an itch. She tossed and turned, making the cot’s springs squeak as she bounced around trying to get comfortable but it was no use. Frisk laid on her back and blinked sleep from her eyes.

The cot was nowhere near as nice as her four-poster bed back home, but it was firm enough to sleep on…so what was the issue? The room was cold and she had no interest in leaving the confines of her bed to deal with another day at the lunatic asylum. Stubbornly, she turned on her side and pulled the blanket over her head, trying to ignore the sound of knocking on her door. It was had just started up and was now becoming louder. Finally, realizing it was probably Sans, Frisk smiled.

“Who is there?” She asked, in a singsong voice.

“It is Doctor Alphys.” The lizard monster replied, “Ms. Fanshaw, I have c-come to deliver dinner.”

Frisk paused for a moment, remembering their previous encounter. The anger at being grabbed in her sleep was still fresh in her mind as she pulled herself out of bed and glared at the door. “Have you returned to give me more pills? Sans might have told me it was all a big misunderstanding but even so, I will not just sit back and let myself be drugged. I will fight you again if I must, Doctor!”

“I…I have n-no intention of making that same mistake again.” Doctor Alphys replied, her voice muffled through the door. “I only brought you some f-food, Ms. Fanshaw. Can I come in please?”

“Oh…alright.” Frisk groaned, walking to her wardrobe. “But first, I need to get properly dressed.”

Pushing aside her disappointment at her nightly visitor’s identity, Frisk considered what to wear. Undyne had been right about practicality. Doctor Gaster had limited her choices of clothing but it did not stop her from thinking rationally. Finally, Frisk decided upon her favorite blue and pink stripped dress. It was not frilly or fancy. It was comfortable, breezy and easy to move about in…the perfect solution if she had to escape. Sighing, she changed out of her nightdress and forced herself to relax. Doctor Alphys was a nervous monster, so it might be best to pretend everything was fine.

Because everything was fine…wasn’t it? Sans had everything under control. He was going to destroy the machine, Undyne was going to tell Asgore about Doctor Gaster’s plot and everything was going to be okay…but that was hours ago. If that actually happened, would it have been more obvious? Surely, Sans would have found her by now and whisked her away, so where was he now?

Pushing aside her worried and anxious thoughts, Frisk opened the door and found Doctor Alphys waiting patiently with a tray of food. The lizard monster gave her an awkward smile, then nodded towards the table and chair in the corner of the room. “I-I hope you are hungry! Mrs. Dreemurr made r-roast beef and mashed p-potatoes for dinner. I have never t-tried human food before…it does nothing for us monsters but I-I heard that this meal is tasty. Won’t you please sit down, miss?”

Frisk obeyed, keeping to the usual protocol of staying still until the food was served. Doctor Alphys lifted up the cover and a cloud of steam rose up from the food. The scent was absolutely heavenly! 

Toriel really was an excellent cook and the memory of the butterscotch and cinnamon pie was still fresh in her mind as she dug into her meal enthusiastically. In the corner of her eye, she watched Alphys. The lizard monster looked as if she wanted to say something. She wrung her hands, paced around and opened her mouth but each time, she shut it again, as if thinking better of it. This all amused her, but Frisk knew better than to laugh. Doctors hated being laughed at, Gaster especially.

Doctor Alphys was an awkward looking monster. Small statured and unassuming in appearance, her glasses sat perched on the tip of her nose. She wore a white lab coat with her name stitched on the front but despite its prim appearance, it was too long and dragged on the floor while she walked.

“I-I know that our last meeting, we did not g-get off to a good start.” Alphys began, “It could be very well that you h-hate me now, especially since your nightmare but I…well…that is to say I…”

Frisk sighed, “I do not hate you. How could I? We are barely acquainted and while it is true that our first meeting was not pleasant, I will try to remember that you were only doing your job. Thus, I have decided to forgive you and focus on other, more important matters. I already forgave Undyne, so it is only right that I forgive you as well. Come, let us be friends, if you are interested. I am willing to start over again, providing that my status as a hysteric patient does not bother you.”

“Of c-course it does not bother me!” Alphys said, visibly relieved, “Heh…it’s funny, I had this whole speech prepared on how sorry I was b-but you somehow managed to forgive me anyway! I know it is confusing but in the wake of what Undyne told me, I d-do not think it matters what your status is, be it doctor or hysteric patient. I would be honored if you were my friend, Ms. Fanshaw.”

“Please call me Frisk.” The human said with a wry smile. “Ms. Fanshaw sounds like an old maid.”

The lizard blinked in surprise, “Oh! I-I did not mean to offend. I just thought it was more p-proper.”

Frisk gave her a wink and went back to her food. There were only scraps left over and she collected the plate, cup and spoon and placed them back on the tray. “Sans is usually the one who delivers the dinner.” She began, trying to be casual. “Is he alright? I have not heard from him in a while.”

For a long moment the room was silent. Giving the human a serious look, Alphys looked as if she were trying desperately to find the right words. “Doctor Gaster…he likes to have things work like clockwork. At 9 AM we have breakfast, 12 PM we have lunch and 5 PM we have dinner. The recreation hours are supervised, with the activities limited, depending on the severity of the mental patient. I have worked here for nine years and this is the first-time things are different. The meals are all an hour early and Doctor Gaster…h-he said that there would be n-no recreation. He said that all the nurses and nonessential staff were to leave early tonight. It was so strange and Sans…”

“What about Sans?” Frisk asked, her voice rising a little in panic.

“Sans disappeared.” Doctor Alphys explained her voice edging on panic, “I looked everywhere but nobody has seen him since Doctor Gaster c-came home this morning. I thought it was unusual and then Undyne told me about the horrible experiments! All those poor people! It is a fate worse than death! When I signed up to be an alienist, I did not imagine s-something like this, not at all!”

“It will be okay.” Frisk said reassuringly, “While Sans destroys the machine, we need to give Undyne time to find Asgore. You are a doctor here; can you do something to stall Doctor Gaster?”

“Me? I-I am hardly the m-monster for the job!” Alphys protested, panic stricken. “My HP is low and I am t-terrible at magic attacks! In the state he is in, I would not be surprised if Doctor Gaster tries to dust me! I dare not disobey him but I cannot stop thinking of those p-poor people he hurt.”

“Brave heart, Alphys.” Frisk said soothingly, “I am sure that Undyne will return soon to help us.”

Wiping the tears from her eyes, the lizard monster nodded. “Yes, I-I suppose you are right. I must not be scared! Undyne w-would be ashamed of how much a c-coward I really am. I normally avoid confrontation for this v-very reason! She keeps on urging me to believe in myself but it is not easy. I am still working on that, but then again…c-confidence was never my strength either. Heh, it must s-seem pathetic to see me like this. Sometimes I wonder why Undyne likes me. I hardly like me.”

“She likes you because you are kind.” Frisk said, smiling. “It is hard to believe I was frightened of you, once upon a time. I thought you would be like Doctor Gaster and hurt me with blue magic.”

Alphys laughed, “Well, there is no need to worry about that! Only a skeleton can perform blue magic. I am only capable of low-level earth magic, so in a place like this. I would be vulnerable.”

Frisk nodded, looking thoughtful. “You know, I understand the feeling of self-doubt and insecurity. My mother taught me something very important to counteract it. You have to fake confidence if you want to achieve confidence. If you think you are strong, you will be strong. I have faith in your ability to protect us, Doctor Alphys. If it comes to that. I know I believe in you.”

Blushing red, Alphys covered her eyes. “Oh, now I am more nervous…but I will try to take your mother’s advice. Undyne used to say something similar but she said it while suplexing a boulder.”

Frisk laughed, “Yes, I suppose that was distracting.”

Giving a knowing smile, the young woman went about finishing her dinner. She looked thoughtful for a moment. “You know…it is funny. I never really appreciated my mother’s false confidence. Even when we were close to losing everything, she never acted as if we were wanting for anything. I thought she was being stupid but now I wonder if it was merely a survival tactic. Come to think about it, I never even said goodbye to her before I was brought here. I wonder if she misses me?”

“I am sure she does.” Alphys said, “Were you close with your m-mother?”

“No…not really.” Frisk said after a moment. “Mother and I were two very different people but I suppose it does not matter now. My biggest concern is Sans. The last I saw of him; he was sporting for a fight with his father and I can only hope he did not do something stupid. Then again, if that were the case, why would Doctor Gaster ask you to take up Sans’ duties? Something feels wrong.”

Alphys anxiously twiddled her thumbs. “From what I have seen, Doctor Gaster is hellbent on having Sans b-become his successor, so it would be counterproductive if he did something to harm his son. Of course, that does n-not mean that Sans is not in trouble, b-but I do not think he is dead or anything like that. No, I fear more for you and the other p-patients. With the way he was talking, I fear he is planning to take the souls out of every human here, including yours, Frisk. It makes a lot of sense. He wants to retire soon and with all that gold earned, he could live a life in luxury.”

“So, what should we do?” Frisk demanded, alarmed, “I will not wait for my soul to be sucked out!”

“You have no magic and your d-defenses are limited.” Alphys reminded her, “I will try to stall Doctor Gaster, on the pretense of helping him but you and the other patients must stay in your rooms until we find Sans or until Undyne returns with Asgore. It is my duty to protect you now.”

Frisk blanched, trying to understand what the lizard monster was getting at. “What do you—”

Alphys cleaned up the table, removing the dirty cutlery and placing it on the metal cart just outside the room. “You are my friend Frisk and the patients are m-my responsibility. Doctor Gaster is very dangerous! If I let you or the other patients wander around the building, he could steal your soul before Undyne returns with reinforcements. If s-something were to happen to you and the others, I would never forgive myself. Please understand, I do this for your own good. You must stay here.”

The human was taller and her determination was intimidating, but Doctor Alphys remained calm and with a sad, apologetic smile, she closed the door and locked it behind her. It happened so fast; Frisk could barely comprehend it. She stared at the door, going from disbelief to indignant anger as she started to pound the door and wiggle the doorknob. This was wrong, everything was wrong!

“Alphys! Let me out of here! I can help you find Sans!” She yelled, but even so, nothing happened.

Giving a shriek of frustration, she pounded the door until her fists were bloody. Her room suddenly felt smaller and the four white walls felt as if they were closing in. Frisk retreated back to her bed and hugged herself, trying not to cry. Even if Alphys meant well, the betrayal felt very real. What made it worse, was that the lizard monster was right. She was defenseless. Doctor Gaster was too powerful. One wave of his hand and his blue magic could crush her to death in a matter of seconds.

Determination welled up in her soul as Frisk stared at the door, quietly contemplating her options.

She could patiently remain in this room or she could try to find some way to unlock the door. Getting up, Frisk looked around at her meager possessions and the room in which she dwelled. It was hardly spacious, being only 12 feet long and 12 feet wide. The single bed was shoved against the wall, with the wardrobe facing it on the opposite end. The table and chair were shoved up near the door while in the back, a small toilet and sink were wedged, as if added as a lazy afterthought.

Rummaging through her wardrobe, she found something on the floor that made her eyes light up bright red. Two tiny hair pins! On her first day she had worn them in her hair and up until now, she had completely forgotten about them. If this was a normal lunatic asylum, the doctors would have long since confiscated any articles that could be deemed dangerous, but it appeared the thought never occurred to the Doctor Gaster and his powerful monster goons. How lucky for her.

Crouching down and examining the lock, Frisk took one of the pins and straightened it, bending the tip of the flat end ever so slightly, until it resembled a hook. On the other hair pin, she bent it until the pin resembled an L shape, bending up the area where the wavy and flat end met together. 

As a child she had practiced this to get out of many scrapes and if her luck remained, she might be able to get this particular door open. Trying to be calm and patient, Frisk stuck the L shaped pin a little way into the lock and on top of it, placed the second hair pin with a hook. She kept the tension, wiggling the hair pins around, listening carefully and feeling the mechanisms of the locked door as they clicked into place. Frisk’s eyes were red with determination, her mind completely focused.

Finally, the lock clicked again and with a twist of the doorknob, she was free. In her effort, she tumbled outside of the doorway and onto the floor, laughing to herself and feeling triumphant at last. Her laughter stopped when she noticed a skeleton looking at her with concern in his sockets.

“HUMAN, ARE YOU ALRIGHT? WHY ARE YOU ON THE FLOOR? ARE YOU INJURED?”

Quickly regaining her composure, Frisk straightened up and brushed the dust of her striped dress.

“I am fine, thank you for asking.” The woman said calmly, “The door was just a little stuck and I uh…managed to get it open. Have we met? I do believe I saw you at the dance we had yesterday.”

The skeleton looked at her in surprise and smiled, giving a sweeping bow. “OF COURSE, WELL ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF, I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS, THE HUMBLE CARETAKER OF THIS LUNATIC ASYLUM. I PRESUME YOU ARE FRISK FANSHAW?”

Frisk smiled at his gallantry, “Yes, you presumed correctly. Sans told me all about you, Papyrus. You are his younger brother and he used to take care of you while your dad was away working. I wanted to meet you earlier but then the whole Chara fiasco…well, at least I get to meet you now.”

Papyrus straightened up, frowning at the mention of Chara. “WHEN MY DAD CAME HOME, HE SAID THAT CHARA WAS A TEST FOR SANS, THAT IT WAS ALL A SET UP TO SHOW HIM HOW TOUGH A DETERMINED HUMAN WAS. I FEEL TERRIBLE! IT WAS I WHO FOUND CHARA AND BROUGHT HER DOWNSTAIRS. IT WAS I WHO DEFENDED HER WHILE NOT KNOWING WHAT SHE WAS CAPABLE OF. THIS WHOLE SITUATION IS MY FAULT AND YET MY DAD TOOK SANS AWAY, PROBABLY TO PUNISH HIM NO DOUBT! MY BROTHER IS IN TROUBLE AND I JUST LET IT HAPPEN! I FEEL IT IN MY BONES THAT SOMETHING BAD IS GOING TO HAPPEN. I MUST FIND THEM SOON!”

“It was not your fault.” Frisk said reassuringly. “Have you told anyone else about what happened?”

“MOST OF THE STAFF ARE GONE.” Papyrus explained, “EVEN UNDYNE IS MISSING AND DOCTOR ALPHYS IS DOING WHO KNOWS WHAT! I KNOW THAT GASTER IS MY FATHER BUT I STILL FEEL UNEASY. HE HAS BEEN SO COLD AND CRUEL LATELY.”

The human did not answer, unsure of how to tell Papyrus the truth. He looked so upset and guilty; it broke her heart to seem him in such a state. She placed a hand on his arm and said calmly, “If you want, we can look for Sans together. I am worried about him too. Doctor Alphys told me that he was missing and I…well, I care for him a great deal and I do not want him to be in any trouble.”

Papyrus sniffed, wiping a stray tear from his eye socket. “REALLY? YOU WANT TO HELP ME LOOK FOR SANS? HOW KIND YOU ARE FRISK. IF WE PUT OUR SKULLS TOGETHER, SURELY, WE CAN USE OUR DEDUCTIVE SKILLS TO FIND MY BROTHER. WHEN WE FIND THEM, WE CAN SAVE SANS FROM THIS MOST UNJUST PUNISHMENT AND PERHAPS, WE CAN GET DAD TO SEE REASON. WE WILL BE THE GREATEST TEAM!”

Frisk giggled, amused by the skeleton’s antics. “This feels like a mystery right out of a Sherlock Holmes book! Two friends trying to save the day, facing unimaginable odds against an advisory.”

“NYEH HEH!” Papyrus chuckled, “MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY, MY DEAR FRISK!”


	13. Chapter 13

“Shouldn’t we be looking up on the fourth floor?” Frisk asked, following Papyrus and keeping up the best she could with the long-legged skeleton. “Undyne, Sans and I investigated it yesterday and found blood. I do strongly believe that Doctor Gaster has been doing terrible things up there!”

Papyrus stopped suddenly in his tracks, so fast, that Frisk nearly ran into his legs. He frowned and looked put out by this new information. “WAIT…YOU INVESTIGATED THE FOURTH FLOOR TOO? WHAT ABOUT THE DANGEROUS HUMANS WITH THE HIGH LV? DAD TOLD US THAT YOU NEEDED TO HAVE POWERFUL BLUE MAGIC TO GO UP THERE!”

Frisk shook her head. “Chara was the only human we found. Every patient room was abandoned.”

“ARE YOU SURE?” Papyrus demanded, “ARE YOU ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE? THERE SHOULD BE AT LEAST 23 PATIENTS UP THERE WITH HIGH EXP. WHERE DID THEY ALL GO IF THEY WERE NOT BEING KEPT UP THERE?”

“I am sure.” Frisk said slowly, not looking away from Papyrus’ inquiring sockets, “I saw it all myself and Blooky, a resident ghost that lives up there, told us that humans were brought up there to die after their souls were ripped out by Doctor Gaster. Your father has been experimenting with the separation of the soul and the soul tether, causing some humans to bleed out. Your father has also been selling back the soulless bodies to the humans and selling the human souls to monsters.”

“YOU COULD BE LYING.” Papyrus mused, “JUST LIKE CHARA, YOU ARE A HYSTERIC PATIENT AND YOU HAVE THE SAME DETERMINATION FOR SELF-PRESERVATION.”

Frisk looked sternly at the skeleton, “I am not like Chara. If I was, do you really think I would be searching so desperately for Sans? If I cared about self-preservation I would have tried to escape.”

Papyrus sighed, “YES…I SUPPOSE YOU DO HAVE A POINT, BUT NOBODY LIKES TO ADMIT THAT THEIR DAD HAS BECOME A HEARTLESS MANIAC…SO TO SPEAK. ANYWAY, THAT IS BESIDES THAT POINT. TO ANSWER YOUR EARLIER QUESTION, THE REASON WHY WE ARE LOOKING ALL OVER THE THIRD FLOOR IS BECAUSE MY DAD HAS AN OFFICE HERE. SANS TOLD ME THAT WAS WHERE A LOT OF HIS LESSONS TOOK PLACE AND IT STANDS TO REASON THAT DAD WOULD TAKE HIM THERE. I AM NOT SURE HOW TO GO ABOUT THIS CONFRONTATION BUT I AM SURE I WILL THINK OF SOMETHING. THIS IS FAR WORSE THAN I HAD FIRST IMAGINED!”

“Then we must hurry! I was asleep in my room for too long and we have no idea what is happening.” Frisk urged anxiously, “Doctor Alphys told me earlier that Doctor Gaster is acting stranger than normal and she suspects that he is preparing to harvest every human soul in this asylum very soon. If that is true, then everyone is in danger here. Not just Chara and not just me.”

“EVEN THE BEDRIDDEN HUMANS? EVEN DEAR OLD MRS. THOMPSON? THAT IS JUST CRUEL!” Papyrus fumed, picking up the pace and heading towards room 399. “I WILL FIND MY DAD AND I WILL STOP THIS NONSENSE. I WILL NOT STAND FOR SUCH…” 

Papyrus paused and gestured for Frisk to be quiet too as the sound of Gaster’s ranting was heard.

“Doctor Alphys, what is taking so long?!” The skeleton monster complained, his voice having a sharp edge to it. “When you told me that you wanted to help, I did not anticipate this sudden drop of productivity! We have a deadline to keep and you have been preparing that soul container for the last thirty minutes! If we do not hurry, Chara’s soul will fade and I cannot keep it still while also mending her soul tether. She is bleeding out rapidly and I need to get her to the fourth floor.”

There was a sharp tinkle of glass breaking and Alphys’ rapid reply, “I am s-sorry Doctor Gaster!”

“Please tell me that was not the soul canister…” Doctor Gaster growled. “If you broke it, you will not only pay me back in full but I will guarantee that you will no longer be working at this asylum!”

“Actually I…I stepped on my g-glasses.” Alphys explained nervously, “I was b-bending over to check the wires and they slipped right off my nose but do not worry sir, the soul canister is fine.”

Doctor Gaster gave a snort of disgust. “You have always been such a useless pile of dust Alphys, if it were not for your vast intelligence, I would have dismissed you years ago. You are slow, lazy and above all, one of the most pathetic monsters I have ever met, even more pathetic than my son.”

“I…um…can still do my best work but please be p-patient.” Alphys begged, her voice quivering as she took the insults. “If we plan to harvest every human soul in the asylum, we s-should at least make sure your grand m-machine is working. We do not want it to explode again like it did earlier.”

“Hmph! That was a simple fix and as such, one that I already remedied!” Doctor Gaster dismissed.

There was an awkward silence as he worked, after a minute, the old skeleton continued, bitterly complaining as he tossed a screwdriver onto the table. “I reviewed my notes and concluded that there is a very small chance that the machine will overheat again, especially since I had already retrieved the larger containment unit from town. You probably do not remember me leaving, do you? It was raining and I was getting soaked to the bone while you and my sons were hosting a dance for the patients. I was negotiating with stupid humans at the hardware store while you all were gadding about the place like a couple of fools. So, unlike you imbeciles, I am actively striving for a successful future. You would think that would be enough, but still nobody here respects me.”

“I r-respect you sir.” The lizard monster bleated out. “You are the smartest monster in the country!”

“You do not respect me!” Doctor Gaster accused, “You are just a very weak little monster who is frightened of my power. If given the chance, you would betray me easily. Do not deny it, Alphys.”

The heavy sound of a bony fist slamming on metal made Frisk jump. She flinched, fearing that the next sound would be Gaster hitting Alphys. Doctor Gaster’s patience was wearing thin and it was making her anxious. Papyrus was really worried too but he kept his calm, sensing that their exposure would only bring Alphys harm. However, when Papyrus was distracted, Frisk snuck past the skeleton to garner a quick peek. She just had to see what was going on, even if it was disturbing.

When she left his side, Papyrus visibly panicked. He kept quiet but he gestured frantically for Frisk to come back to the hallway but the human woman shooed him away. She stayed where she was, watching as Doctor Gaster bent over an unconscious Chara. The woman’s shirt was gone and her bare chest had pools of blood welling up from the center where the soul would have been summoned from. Gaster was working quickly but it was apparent his frustration was only making it harder to focus. He took a deep calming breath before going back to slowly cauterize the wound.

“Alphys, if your spectacles are broken and you can no longer see, then I suggest you go home.” Doctor Gaster said coldly, “Somehow you are worse help to me as blind then sighted and it is only serving to distract me. I need to get this done. The local madam will be here in less than an hour!”

“I c-can see! I am only nearsighted!” Alphys protested, panic in her voice. “Do not send me away!”

“Doctor Alphys, you are one of the more brilliant monsters I have ever met.” Doctor Gaster mused, “You always do your job quickly and efficiently. You do not falter, not even out of obvious fear of me, so what could be causing this? Perhaps you are stalling? You know my plan and you want me to fail. Perhaps you are feeling sympathy for the humans? Hmm…how disappointing you are.”

Frisk’s heart hammered in her chest as she watched Doctor Gaster stand up and confront Alphys. 

The cracks in Gaster’s skull were deep and foreboding, his eye sockets were dark as the void and while he was not a very tall monster, the way he stared at Alphys was enough to chill her to the soul.

Doctor Alphys instinctively stepped backwards until she hit the wall and in a frantic effort, she surveyed the room. For a monster that was only capable of earth magic, the metal room gave no help. She flinched as Gaster raised up his hand, blue magic welling up as he prepared to attack.

“Stop it! Do not hurt her!” Frisk shouted, standing up and immediately coming to Alphys’ defense.

Doctor Gaster paused, turning his skull around and looking nonplused at the human running towards him. If anything, he looked bored as he merely switched his attention to Frisk. In a quick movement, Frisk was encased with blue magic and she was unable to move. She stared defiantly at her entrapper but it made little effect. Instead, he gave a deep chuckle as if thoroughly amused.

“So…you are what Doctor Alphys was trying to protect? Were you trying to ambush me, human?”

“DO NOT HURT FRISK!” Papyrus announced bravely, “SHE IS UNDER MY PROTECTION, AS IS EVERY HUMAN IN THIS BUILDING. LET HER GO, LEST YOU FEEL MY WRATH.”

Papyrus was wielding two very large bones and looking quite heroic, but it did little impression to Doctor Gaster. He merely looked up in mild surprise at his youngest son standing in his office. “So, you are going to betray me too, Papyrus? For some reason, that does not surprise me. You were always such a simple creature. You probably listened to Ms. Fanshaw’s sob story and felt the need to protect her. Sans has fallen for her tricks but surely you are capable of seeing my reason?”

“REASON? REASON?!” Papyrus sputtered, “IS IT REASONABLE TO TAKE THE SOUL OUT OF THE HUMANS, DESTROYING THEM OF THEIR IDENTITY FOR MERE GOLD COINS? NO, IT IS NOT! IF I DID NOT SEE THE PROOF IN FRONT OF MY OWN EYE SOCKETS, I WOULD STILL BELIEVE FRISK, FOR I CAN SEE SHE IS AN HONEST YOUNG WOMAN.”

Doctor Gaster shrugged, “Well, it was worth a try anyway.”

Using his blue magic, he lifted up the captured woman and placed her on the table in front of the large machine. Frisk tried to fight it but it was no use, the pointed end of the skull shaped device was now pointing straight at her. Alphys gave an angry shriek and with a burst of courage, she tried to fight him, if only using her own physical force but it did little good. Doctor Gaster merely tossed her aside, barely using his magic to send her tumbling into the corner while Papyrus came at him with a large femur bone. Gaster dodged that attack too, focusing his attention on getting two sets of metal bars over Frisk’s neck and legs, to keep her still without need of his blue magic.

“Normally I would wait between patients, but when else would I get such a prime opportunity?” He chuckled, “Mr. Ward will be quite pleased that you are ready for marriage so early, my dear.”

Frisk spat at him, not giving him the satisfaction of her fear. “I will never marry Mr. Ward! No matter what you do, I will stop you. He is a cruel, violent man, much like yourself and I will fight you until my very last breath. You think you are so powerful? If you did not have your magic, you would be nothing. Us humans, we had to find ways to adapt without any natural magical abilities.”

Doctor Gaster grimaced in disgust, as he wiped the spittle from his cheekbone. “You are under the impression that I care what you think. I do not care if you try to stop me, you will fail inevitably.”

“THAT IS WHERE I COME IN!” Papyrus announced, standing heroically. “AS A CARETAKER, IT IS MY DUTY TO CARE ABOUT THE ASYLUM AND ALL OF ITS CONTENTS! I CARE FOR THE PEOPLE AS WELL AS CHANGING OUT THE LIGHT BULBS AND KEEPING UP WITH THE LAWN. I CARE MORE ABOUT THESE PEOPLE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, FAR MORE THAN YOU SEEM TO BE CAPABLE OF! SO, LISTEN WELL, DAD FOR I SHALL NOT REPEAT MYSELF. RELEASE FRISK FANSHAW AND TELL ME WHERE SANS IS!”

Going on as if he had not heard his son speak, Doctor Gaster went to set up the soul extractor once more. Chara’s dark red soul was now locked away in its own container, while the body of the poor woman was still splayed out on the counter like a corpse. The only signs of life were the rise and fall of Chara’s bloody chest. The mended soul tether, an artery like cord that was near invisible, was the only sign of what had happened. Frisk tried not to look at it, she tried to be courageous as her enemy pushed some buttons and glanced at her, smiling his wide smile, his cracked sockets were full of smug satisfaction as he paid no mind at all to Papyrus who stood fuming behind him.

“JUST SO YOU KNOW, I TAKE NO PLEASURE IN DOING THIS.” Papyrus said, now wielding his own blue magic and lifting his father up in the air. Frisk gasped, watching in shock as the powerful doctor was held up to the ceiling, Papyrus holding his hand out grimly before he then pulled him down heavily. The increased gravity of the magic made the older skeleton groan but then much to Frisk’s surprise, he laughed. He seemed so amused by the sudden turn of events.

“I thought you were incapable of violence.” Doctor Gaster wheezed out, “You were such a gentle soul, you would not even hurt a house fly that buzzed around your skull. Yet, here you are! If this is what it took to get the power out of you, why, I would have showed you my work much sooner!”

“WHERE IS MY OLDER BROTHER?” Papyrus demanded, his volume rising. “WHERE ARE YOU KEEPING HIM? IF YOU HAVE HURT HIM IN ANY WAY, YOU WILL BE SORRY!”

Doctor Gaster kept on laughing, not even bothering to put up much of a fight. His HP was much lower than normal but Papyrus, upon realizing it was in the single digits, decided to choose mercy. Instead, he built a wall of bones around his father. It was not perfect but with interlocking blue magic and white magic, the femurs held strong and formed a makeshift prison. It was only when he was sure that his dad was unable to escape that he let himself breathe heavily from exhaustion.

“FRISK? ARE YOU ALRIGHT?” Papyrus asked, trying to unlock the metal bars that bound the woman to the table. “DID HE TAKE YOUR SOUL? DID HE HURT YOUR SOUL TETHER? WAS I TOO LATE? I KNOW WHAT I DID WAS UNFORGIVABLE, SONS SHOULD ALWAYS OBEY THEIR FATHERS BUT I COULD NOT JUST LET HIM HURT YOU. I HAD TO STOP HIM! YOU UNDERSTAND…DON’T YOU? THAT I HAD NO OTHER CHOICE?”

Frisk smiled softly, rubbing the sore spot where the metal bar had been around her neck. The rough treatment had created tiny cuts that hurt and it was starting to bruise but the woman did not cry out, instead, she looked at the two monsters who had been by her side. “You did the right thing, Papyrus.” She said calmly, before turning to the hovering lizard monster. “I know you were trying to do the right thing too, Alphys. I am not angry, not at any of you. You both not only saved my soul from being taken, but you saved me from a doomed fate, one that did not escape poor Chara.”

Alphys sighed, waddling over and inspecting the woman on the counter. “Chara was so scared and so angry. I wanted to help her and I tried to delay him but…Doctor Gaster was very demanding.”

Suddenly the lizard monster paused a moment, cocking her head to one side as if she was listening to something very faint. Then a smile broke out across her lips. “I know that s-sound anywhere!” She said, breaking out in full run as she left room 399. “Undyne! Undyne! We are all over here!”

“Alphys! There you are! I have been very worried! I thought the worst had happened to you all!” The fish monster exclaimed, as she ran over to embrace Alphys. She bent down and picked her up, spinning her lover in the air before gently putting her back down. The two hugged and laughed, overjoyed at being in one another’s presence. Undyne then bent down again, this time to kiss her, to the point where it was only broken when there was a loud cough. Alphys, now blushing bright red, smiled sheepishly at Asgore Dreemurr, who stood awkwardly in the hall, looking out of place.

“I do not mean to interrupt, but I believe there was something going on?” Asgore asked, “Undyne told me that Doctor Gaster was removing the human souls from our patients and selling the souls and their bodies for the highest bidder? You understand, with a statement this serious, I had to come and investigate. I have prided myself on this merciful hospital but perhaps I was wrong…”

Papyrus came forward, “IT IS TRUE, MR. DREEMURR. I SAW IT ALL WITH MY OWN EYE SOCKETS! I HAVE APPREHENDED MY DAD, RIGHT BEFORE HE TOOK THE SOUL FROM MS. FANSHAW’S BODY! THOUGH, CHARA ANDERSON WAS NOT SO LUCKY.”

Asgore walked over and examined Chara’s body. He stared at the severed soul tether and the dark red soul that floated in its glass container. Reaching out his large fluffy hand, he stroked the smooth surface of the container and gave a sigh. “How did my asylum come to this? How could I have let such atrocities happen under my nose? I thought that Doctor Gaster was paving the way for the future. He used to be such a kind monster, so intelligent and inquisitive…yet this is what he turned into, a monster with a high LV. How disgraceful! We must now live with his mess and somehow, move on from it. No one outside this asylum must know what happened, else we will all be finished…for good!”


	14. Chapter 14

The moment the chains were free from his bones, Sans could hardly contain himself. He pushed the shackles aside and leaped from the cot, before groaning and collapsing to the floor. Pain shot through his marrow as he realized how low his HP had gotten. It was critical now, to the point where if he exerted himself too much, he could turn to dust in seconds. That thought sobered him and he breathed heavily, catching his breath as he waited for his soul to relax after such a big strain.

“Sans? Are you okay? Is there anything I can do?” Blooky asked, the little ghost hovering nearby.

“I am fine!” Sans replied; his voice sharp with sarcasm. “Things could not be better! My HP is so low that I am only a breath away from turning to dust and to top it all off, I also have the pleasure of knowin’ that I did absolutely nothing to save the woman I love from having her soul sucked out! How do you think I am feeling Blooky? Frisk is probably nothing but a livin’ corpse waiting to be sold to that…that cod of a fiancé! How lucky for him that I am not at full strength right now!”

The phantom said nothing, unsure of how to answer. His eyes glistened bright with unshed tears.

The awkward silence was broken by the sound of muffled snoring and Sans glanced over at the two henchmonsters still fast asleep on the opposite end of the room. He sneered at them, feeling the immense satisfaction of being free while they still remained oblivious that the tables had turned. With Blooky’s ghostly power of rendering things incorporeal, it took mere minutes to remove Sans’ shackles and considering that every bed had a pair of chains, another few minutes to lock up the two henchmonsters. Already the HP was slowly being siphoned away from Aaron and Goliath, so much so that when they awoke, they would both be far too weak to escape their powerful bonds. The shackles were unbreakable and uncomfortable, but Sans felt no sympathy for their prisoners.

“Ooooohhh…I know it seems bad but…you must not give up.” Blooky encouraged, “Frisk would not want you to give up. She was a very nice person and she would not want the other humans to share her fate. The bullies are contained and you are free. You can still save the day, my friend.”

Sans gave a short bitter laugh. “How? I could not even save myself! I am too weak…too helpless! You were the one who rescued me and besides, dad is guarding the machine. It is too late, we lost.”

“Hmm…perhaps…we could convince the doctor to change his mind?” Blooky suggested. “It would be better if we could solve this problem without fighting. I do hate it when people get hurt.”

“Look, I know this hard for you to understand,” Sans said, tersely, “But pacifism is not going to happen. My dad is a very strong, very violent, high LV monster. Do you really think he will just…give up? That he will give up on his beloved machine and let us destroy it without a fight? No, he is going to protect it and I will probably die trying to destroy it. At this point, I do not care if I live or die, all I know is that I must destroy that accursed thing. It is all for the greater good!”

Blooky frowned, “Mercy should always be an option. I am sure the doctor is not completely bad.”

Sans growled angrily. “How can I choose mercy? This whole fourth floor was reserved because Doctor Gaster wanted a place to hide his evil experiments! Humans bled to death after he severed their soul from their bodies! How can I show mercy to a monster who is both unethical and cruel?”

For a long time, the room was silent, as the ghost considered what was said. “Well…it seems your mind is made up.” Blooky said, giving a defeated sigh. “While I do not condone violence…I understand your reasoning but…would you mind terribly if I were to remain up here? I do not like fighting and I would only get in your way. I am just a useless burden…a good for nothing liability.”

The little ghost sobbed pathetically while Sans’ looked on, remembering painfully of Frisk’s own hurt when he snapped at her. Oh, how he wished he could take back every mean word he said to her…but it was too late. After a few minutes, Blooky calmed down and managed to look up at Sans, surprised that the skeleton was still there. “I am s-so sorry.” He hiccupped, “I am useless…”

“You are not useless.” Sans assured; interrupting the specter. His voice was gentle now as he looked at Blooky sincerely. “You did nothing wrong. If you want to stay up here, than I will not judge you. I already know this is my fight and it would be wrong to have another monster fight my battles. You already helped me so much. If it was not for your ghostly phasing powers, I would still be in the handcuffs and those two fools would be free. You helped me Blooky and that is more than enough. You are a good friend and I am so grateful to you. Just stay safe, okay? Be careful.”

Blooky smiled. “Oh, do not worry. I am a ghost and not so easy to kill. You however, are vulnerable and your HP is very low. I would hate for you to turn to dust today, so be careful too.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” Sans muttered; stretching out his bones and trying to summon his magic. His eye socket glowed cyan as he stood up straighter but the lingering pain from the shackles still remained. Any magic he had was not enough to teleport but the thought of revenge was enough to keep him going. Without a backward glance, he hobbled out the door and headed towards the elevator, contemplating of how to make his entrance. Eating would just have to wait.

Sans was unsure of how much time had passed since Doctor Gaster locked him up. It could have been an hour; it could have easily been half a day…but when the elevator doors opened onto the third floor, the skeleton wondered if it had been longer than he had originally imagined. The entire section was packed with people! It was all he could do to avoid contact with them as monsters of all kinds shuffled around the room. Suddenly, he felt self-conscious and felt his anxiety growing.

“I still cannot believe Doctor Gaster has been taking human souls.” A dog monster growled to another. “If the humans of Ebott City found out, no monster would be safe. They would attack us!”

Her partner gave a disgusted sniff, “To think this has been happening right under our noses. Does that skeleton think that the Great War somehow justifies his cruelty? I always thought that it was a bad idea to have those kinds of monsters running the lunatic asylum but you know Asgore. He is a friend to everyone…even if that friend is made of bones. You can never trust bone monsters.”

“Shh! Be quiet Dogamy! I think that is Gaster’s son!”

The two dog monsters stared at Sans suspiciously, the male even growling low in his throat but Sans did not react. He only walked straight ahead and focused on his footsteps. First one step, than another step and another…it was all he could do not to faint from his low HP. He was slowing down. Sweat dripped down his skull as he walked past more of the Dog Patrol, the local monster police force. He had only heard rumors of them and now, not one looked at him in a friendly way.

Something must have happened. Another explosion? His exhausted mind tried to make sense of this new situation as he looked around the crowded room. Asgore Dreemurr, the superintendent of the asylum was speaking in hushed tones to Captain Doggo, who currently had a smoking dog treat between his teeth. Toriel was there too and when she saw Sans, she gasped and went to him.

“Oh, my child! What has happened to you? Where have you been? Why is your HP so very low?”

Sans grunted in annoyance as she went to hug him. “I am fine, Tori. Where is my dad? Where is Doctor Gaster? He needs to pay for his crimes! He hurt so many humans. He hurt…he hurt Frisk.”

Toriel smiled softly, “My child, Frisk Fanshaw is just fine. She is merely resting in the next room. It was only a few scratches from the fight, nothing serious. Your brother managed to stop Doctor Gaster from sucking the soul out of that poor woman. He is a hero and he, alongside Alphys, delayed him long enough for Undyne to bring us here. Everything will be okay now. It is all over.”

“Papyrus…stopped our dad from hurting Frisk?” Sans gaped, trying to process this new turn of events. “But…how? I…tried to keep him from getting involved. I was trying hard to protect him.”

“Well, it seems that Papyrus did not need protecting.” Toriel said gently, “Everything is fine now.”

Sans collapsed on the ground, sitting against the wall and trying hard not to cry. “I thought he was goin’ to hurt her. I thought he was goin’ to hurt everyone in this asylum! I was chained upstairs and it was only now that I managed to escape. I thought I was too late…I thought that I failed her.”

Tears flowed freely down his cheekbones now and Toriel looked at the young monster she loved like a son. She smiled softly and put her hand to his face, wiping away the moisture. “There, there.” She crooned, “It is okay now. Doctor Gaster is being detained by the Ebott City Dog Patrol. He will no longer hurt anybody anymore. Asgore will make sure of it. The humans of the city will never know the full story, as we are quietly removing him from his position. We are trying to avoid a scandal. Relations with the humans is strained enough as it is and this could incite a mass panic.”

“That is smart.” Sans agreed, then he looked around. “I trust the other residents remain unaware?” 

“Of course, they are unaware.” Toriel assured, “Those poor people have enough problems and I do not think it would be wise to trouble them with worries that we have already solved. Now come, we must get you some food. Your HP is too low for my liking and I want you to be feeling better.”

Sans stood up but he anxiously looked towards his dad’s office. “As much as I would like to heal up, I must see Frisk. Please? I know my HP is very low and I know that I need food but Frisk probably thinks I am dead. She must have been so scared. I feel like I failed her because I could not be there for her in her hour of need. If my bro had not been there…if dad had acted a minute earlier…I shudder to think of what might have happened. Please understand, Tori. I will not be able to relax if I cannot see for myself that her wounds are superficial. I need to see her right now!”

Toriel gave a reluctant sigh. “Oh, very well Sans, if you insist…but please be very, very careful! I do not want to find a pile of dust on the floor, all because you could not contain your enthusiasm!”

“What!?” Sans sputtered, his cheekbones flushed, “Toriel! I am a gentleman and I could never…”

The old monster smiled innocently, gesturing to the door. “Of course, you are. I merely meant your enthusiasm in your embrace. Why, what did you think I meant? Get your skull out of the gutter!”

Not willing to give her teasing a dignified response, Sans scowled at his friend and went into the office where many of his lessons took place. Room 399 still looked the same as always. Important documents were still on his father’s desk, alongside the creepy human skull with the drilled hole in its temple. Pictures and diagrams were still intact on the walls and in the corner, a dog officer was sniffing loudly around the magnum opus as he circled the bird skull like structure. He scribbled something in his report and giving Sans a brief, watchful glance, snorted and finally left the room.

Once the dog was gone, Sans looked around and found Frisk sitting in one of the chairs, holding an ice cloth to her neck. She was chatting quietly with Alphys and for a moment, he let himself take her in. Despite everything, she still looked beautiful. She was wearing a blue and pink stripped dress; her short brown hair was messy but still framed her face in a flattering way. Yet what stood out the most was her smile. Her smile looked neither strained nor forced, even when talking with Alphys, if anything, she looked almost happy. Frisk’s eyes looked over at him when he entered the room and, in that moment, time seemed to have stood still, broken when she gave a joyful cry.

“Sans! Sans, you are okay! I have been so worried!” She said, half crying and half laughing as she went to gently hug him. Her eyes did not miss a thing as she took in all the minuscule bone fractures.

“I am so sorry I was not there to rescue you.” Sans said, cupping her cheek. “Do you remember all those beds on the fourth floor? My dad had chained me to one of them and the magical properties from the shackles drained away most of my HP. His henchmonsters were guarding me and if it were not for Blooky, I would still be trapped up there. I owe him my life and he would be thrilled if he knew that you were still alive and well. You made quite the impression with him, sweetheart.”

Frisk giggled, “Well, it was not hard to befriend him. After all, Blooky is such a dear little ghost!”

Doctor Alphys fidgeted nervously as she wondered whether she should leave the room. Sans was holding Frisk so closely that despite his weakened conditioned, the lizard monster was beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable. She coughed loudly, to break the mood. “It is g-good to see you, sir.”

Sans blinked and looked over at Alphys in surprise, having temporary forgotten she was still there.

“Oh, yes…it is good to see you too, Alphys!” He said cheerfully, “I see that you and Ms. Fanshaw have finally made up. The last time I saw you two together, you were both at each other’s throats.”

Alphys looked away with shame but Frisk put her hand on the lizard monster’s shoulder. “We have become good friends. I eventually realized that it was all a misunderstanding and that Doctor Alphys was simply doing her job. I already forgave Undyne, so I figured it was only fair that I forgave Alphys too. She helped save me, you know. She risked her life to delay the soul extracting after poor Chara was taken. She might have an awkward way to go about it but she means well.”

Sans nodded and to their surprise, he gave a sweeping bow. “Alphys, ya have my sincere thanks for protecting my beloved Frisk. It would be most inconvenient to have my dear fiancé de-souled.”

“W-what? Fiancé?! Is that t-true?!” Alphys stuttered out, “Congratulations on your engagement!”

Frisk blushed, shyly looking at Sans and reaching for his hand. “He asked me to marry him right before Doctor Gaster took me. We plan on leaving Ebott Asylum and making a new life together.”

Alphys’ was grinning widely, her eyes shining. “Oh! This is the m-most wonderful news! It is the b-best news I have heard in a long time! We have so much to talk about! We have so much to plan. Undyne will be thrilled, she always loves a p-party and of course Papyrus and Toriel will want to help prepare. We have to get you a d-dress and a veil, then there is the food and the invitations…”

“I know you are excited, but ya got to keep it a secret for now. We do not want everyone to know quite yet.” Sans said, looking around nervously. “There is already a scandal revolving around my old man, so I do not want to draw any more attention to us, than necessary. You know how people talk Alphys. You know not everyone will be keen to the idea of a human and monster marriage.”

The lizard’s expression fell, “Yes…I-I see what you mean…but can…can I at least tell Undyne?”

Sans scowled, “Ugh…fine. You can tell your girlfriend but I mean it Alphys! No more people can know about our plans. We plan on doing this quick and easy. Mr. Ward will not be too happy when he finds out that the woman, he was engaged with has run off with her skeleton monster alienist!”

“Oh…how I would love to see the look on Arthur’s face!” Frisk exclaimed, her eyes bright with mirth, “That man hates it when things do not go his way! This will be the perfect sort of revenge!”

Sans could not help but smirk, remembering the arrogant man who had hurt Frisk. He clenched his phalanges tight as he remembered the bruises on Frisk’s neck, the look of fear in her eyes when he had first brought her to their door. Revenge would do nicely, but as much as he wanted to rub it in the man’s face…it would not do. Humans would not take kindly to their marriage and it would be best to keep it under wraps…for now, anyway. He glanced over at Frisk, loving the excitement in her eyes and spotting hints of red determination, shining through the irises. She was breathtaking.

Alphys coughed awkwardly, “Well, I-I should get going. You two p-probably want to catch up.”

Frisk nodded, “Thank you Alphys, for everything.”

Giving a nod, the lizard woman left the room and was about to shut the door behind her but Toriel stood in the way. Their eyes met and Alphys stepped aside, as the old monster bent her head inside.

“Sans? My child, you need to eat! I have tried to be patient, given the difficult circumstance but my patience is wearing thin! I will not allow you to turn into dust, just because you are being stubborn! Honestly, you would think a grown monster would know better! You can kiss Frisk later but only when you are back to your normal HP levels! Do you understand, Sans?”

Sans groaned, his cheekbones flushed, “Okay, stop nagging me!”

He smiled apologetically at Frisk, turning towards the door but Frisk held onto his hand. She very gently pulled him closer and kissed him chastely. “Please heal up and come back soon, my love.”

“Heh heh…my love…I really could get used to that.” Sans sighed happily, before turning back and following Toriel reluctantly back towards the kitchens. The old goat monster was scolding him but he was not really listening. All he could think about was the gentle, feather like pressure of Frisk’s lips touching his mouth and the way her soul called to his. It really had felt like magic.


	15. Chapter 15

“Well, it seems like your health has returned to normal.” Doctor Gaster remarked. “With your exceptionally low HP, I admit I was unsure of how quickly you would recover from the shackles.”

His son did not reply. Instead, Sans stared coldly at his dad watching his through the bars of the prison cell and took in the sight in front of him. Despite Gaster’s cheerful tone, the old skeleton was tired and weak. His voice came out in a gravelly whisper and as he stared back at Sans, he sat hunched over in a wheelchair with a long, black blanket draped tastefully over his femurs. Under the femurs there was an empty space where his legs should have been. The blanket hid most of it from sight, but Sans noticed and he felt pity for the wretched soul. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

“This is your own fault, ya know.” Sans commented, “Ya should not have tried to escape. The second rule of teleportation, remember? How many times have ya drilled that into my skull? When ya want to teleport, ya must have enough magical energy to make the trip! That is the most basic lesson for a skeleton to learn! Since your fight with Papyrus, your HP became too low, as if it were not already lowered from the explosion of your machine. That was idiotic for a so-called genius!”

Doctor Gaster laughed, “Well, even a genius can make a mistake. When your brother released me to the Dog Patrol, I instinctively teleported away. It nearly worked…I even got to the next room.”

“At the cost of your leg bones.” Sans added flatly, looking once more at the empty void of space.

“Yes, at the cost of my leg bones.” Doctor Gaster agreed, “They completely spliced from my body! Yet no matter how many times you recite the three rules of teleportation, it does not change the fact that each time we step into a shortcut, we are taking a risk. To achieve progress, risks are seen as necessary and I would not be where I am without pushing my limits. At least I try to be better.”

“How is this better?! You are now forever lame due to your arrogance and stupidity!” Sand roared.

Doctor Gaster sighed and shook his head, “Would you have preferred I have been a coward? You are too scared to teleport an inanimate object, much less a living thing. I have learned how to take the soul out of a human’s body and keep them alive! Do you know how revolutionary that is? If you can just get over this…this weakness of compassion, you could do some great work, my boy.”

Sans looked at his dad with disbelief. “You think having compassion is the route of a coward? If so, why did you bother becoming an alienist? Our job is to look after the mentally ill and keeping everyone safe. We do our job for the greater good, not because it is easy or because it pays well. I am not weak because I refuse to take passengers. I am merely strong enough to know that it is wrong. I already know the risks when I take my shortcuts but any passengers would be unable to consent. I am the one in control and as such, it is my responsibility to know that it is wrong to risk another’s limbs just because I am too lazy to take the elevator. You care for nobody but yourself.”

Doctor Gaster leaned back in his wheelchair and smiled, “Oh Sans, we are so alike, you and I.”

“We are nothing alike!” Sans raged, as he paced in front of Gaster’s cage. “Ya destroyed the lives of countless people! You nearly ruined the relations between monsters and humans! Ya could have jeopardized everyone’s safety and for what? So ya could get noticed by the Nobel committee?”

“You act like my invention is a bad thing.” Gaster accused, “But really, my machine will save lives. I have perfected my magnum opus. Humans will no longer die when I sever their soul tether and even without a soul, a human can live out their normal, boring lifespan. Meanwhile, across the ocean, the Great War is going on and monsters are dying by the thousands. Souls can be used as weapons. A monster can buy the soul, absorb the soul and become unstoppable! Think about it, Sans. With my machine we could end the war! The soldiers, human and monster, can come home.”

Sans threw up his hands in exasperation. “Of course, I want the war to be over! Yet at what cost? Ya still do not understand that this is wrong! Asgore thought I could reason with ya and help ya repent but this is a waste of time. So, this is it! It is time I wash my hands of you and start living my own life, one where I am not being manipulated. I am done trying to bring ya back to sanity!”

“Oh, dear boy…I have never been saner.” Gaster cackled, “Soon, you will learn, just as I did…that it is better to distance yourself from distractions. A human does not need a soul! They can still breathe air. They can drink water and eat food. They just become more obedient to their owners.”

Sans clenched his fists, his eye glowed cyan and he breathed slowly. “You seem to be quite keen on the idea of subjugation, well…we will see how keen you are after you have been locked up here for a few decades. Do you recognize this metal? This cage is made from the same kind of stuff that your shackles were made of. Now it is your turn to have your HP draining slowly away from your body as you become helpless and weak. As long as you touch it, you will get down to the barest minimum for survival. Soon you will become too tired and slow. All you will want to do is sleep.”

“Perhaps…perhaps not.” Doctor Gaster shrugged, “I doubt that Asgore will let me get to that point. Already he has fed me to the point where I can talk and move freely, as long as I am in my cage.”

“Tch! He is too much of a softie.” Sans muttered angrily, shaking his skull. “If it were my decision, I would just let you rot here. It is far better than killin’ ya, it is letting ya think about what ya did.”

Doctor Gaster sighed, looking almost sad. His skull still had the large cracks that it gained through the earlier explosion, causing one of his sockets to look droopy. “The son will always think he can surpass the father…but you are so much like me in my younger years. Like me, you want to help people but one day you will be let down. It might not be tomorrow or next year but it will happen. One day the human you thought you saved will turn on you. That human will kill the person you love most in the world and you will blame yourself. One day, you will realize that everything you did was for nothing and that all you have left; is the lessons you teach. You will try to teach it to a younger doctor, one freshly graduated with new ideas, but no one will listen. Nobody will realize that it is a mistake to care too much. You will be hurt and someday Sans, you will be just like me.”

“I will never be like you.” Sans repeated stubbornly, “Nothing you can say will change that fact.”

“Do you know why I chose you to be my successor? It is because you are like me and as the head doctor, you will have to make hard decisions.” Gaster went on, “You will continue with my work.”

Sans paused for a moment, smirked in satisfaction. “No, I will not continue your work. I never wanted to be the head doctor of Ebott Asylum, that was your dream. I just want to help people. So, while Asgore offered me the position, I politely turned it down. I have other plans for my future.”

“Other plans?!” Doctor Gaster boomed, sitting up straighter. “What plans could that be? You were raised and groomed to be my heir apparent! I sent you to medical school! I coached you in alienist techniques and showed you how I did things. I found a way to get rid of EXP in humans and you are just throwing it all away? You are a Gaster and it is about time that you acted like one, Sans.”

“See…that is the thing. Doctor Gaster was always your name.” Sans said matter-of-factly, “I mean sure, technically it was our last name too but Papyrus and I…well, we are thinking of changing it. That name has enough of a reputation and we are tired of living in your shadow. I knew that glory was one thing ya coveted the most, so this is your real punishment…one that goes beyond being imprisoned. You, my dear old dad…will be forgotten. No one will speak your name ever again.”

“That…that is just preposterous!” The old skeleton scoffed, “I have worked at this asylum for nine long years! The humans will remember the miraculous work I did to their loved ones. I have a good reputation, despite your opinions to otherwise. Besides, if you are not going to be the head doctor, who is? Are you going to find a human alienist? Are you going to return it to what it was?”

“It will not be a human.” Sans said, dismissively, “In fact, you have already met our new head doctor. Doctor Alphys got the promotion and Papyrus will be her heir apparent. My bro has decided to go back to school and get his doctorate in his hopes to become an alienist too someday. You thought he was stupid but Papyrus is both smart and compassionate. I think he will be a good doctor, given some time. Alphys will train him and together, they will help all the lunatic patients.”

“You are making a big mistake, Sans!” Doctor Gaster warned, his phalanges gripping hard to the handles of his wheelchair. “You are letting all that research go to waste! You stupid, pile of dust.”

Sans leaned back and grinned mischievously, “Bluster all you want, but now you do not have a leg to stand on! You have always been so sure footed about everything but now, after all these years, you misstepped. Tibia honest, I am looking forward to not having ya judge me all the time.”

The older skeleton scowled at him, “Jokes? Really? You are really going to use puns against me?”

“What? I am just tellin’ the truth.” Sans said, innocently, “It would be an outright fibula if you thought I actually cared about following in your footsteps. It is time I go my own way…for once.”

Sans headed towards the door that opened up to the hallway. For a brief moment, his expression became serious again and he looked at Doctor Gaster long and hard. “This will be the last time we will see each other. I have no plans to speak to you ever again. Papyrus might visit but in a few days’ time, I will marry Frisk and we will move far away from here. We will go to a place where humans and monsters can love each other and this asylum will be nothing but a distant memory.” 

Leaving the room, Sans was surprised to feel tears leak from his eye sockets. It started off as a few drops then it began falling down his cheekbones. He breathed deeply but his soul was still aching from the decision. He closed his sockets and when he looked back up again, he saw Frisk standing in the hallway, waiting for him. She smiled softly and after a few quick steps, she went over to hug him. He relaxed into her warm embrace and in their moment of silence, a muffled sob left his jaws as he let himself go. He cried over what had happened, what could have been and what never was. 

“You did the right thing.” Frisk crooned, as she gently patted his back. “You deserve to be free.”

“Family was everything to me.” Sans explained, “How can I do this, Frisk? I know he is a bad guy. I know that he killed people and let the humans suffer as he took their souls, but he is still my dad.”

For a minute, the woman looked thoughtful. “A parent is still a parent, even if they do horrible things. Doctor Gaster is no different. Sometimes…sometimes you can love someone and hate them all at once. Emotions are complicated and I do not blame you if you feel somewhere in the middle for your father. You might feel regret but you did the right thing. Doctor Gaster would have just continued to hurt people and steal souls, until he had enough gold for his retirement. He did not care who got hurt or who got in the way. You saved everyone at Ebott Asylum with your kindness.”

“If ya say so.” Sans muttered, he straightened up and smiled. He wiped the tears away and he looked back down the hallway where people were gathering. “I suppose Asgore wants to make it official, huh? Fluffybuns is always so sentimental. I hope Alphys is up for the task of head doctor.”

“Alphys will make a great head doctor.” Frisk said confidently, “She is intelligent and she is kind.”

“Perhaps this new job will prompt her to stop callin’ me sir.” Sans whispered, causing Frisk to break out into fits of giggles. She bumped against him teasingly as they walked, now hand in hand down towards the end of the Dog Patrol office. The day was still bright and warm, with the memory of Doctor Gaster fading as they whispered and flirted with each other, not really caring who saw.

When they made it back to Ebott Asylum, Asgore was already handing out flutes of champagne to celebrate. Doctor Alphys, who was in the center of the crowd looked mortified but Undyne kept her from panicking. As much as the lizard monster was flattered, it was obvious she wanted to run. Finally, the crowd gathered around the first floor and Asgore made his speech, looking proudly at the doctors, nurses and staff that stood in attention. “As you know, leadership has been undergoing some changes in the last couple of days,” He began, “Doctor Gaster has been arrested on charges of murder and he will be kept under lock and key, in punishment for his crimes against humanity.”

Whispers broke out through the crowd but Asgore continued, “In light of what happened, I have decided that Ebott Asylum needs a replacement head doctor to restore our mental hospital to its former glory…that is why I have agreed to the nomination of Doctor Alphys to take over the position and all that it entails. Alphys has been a loyal and hardworking monster and I look forward to seeing what miracles she can create, as I have faith in her ability. So, as we think about the future, let us raise our glasses and celebrate this change as we bring the asylum to the 20th century!”

There was a loud cheer from Undyne and laughter from the rest, as applause broke out among the monsters. Frisk clapped loudest of them all and Alphys, blushed, embarrassed by all the attention.  
“I will d-do my best.” She said awkwardly, trying to remain calm. “I am j-just glad I have f-friends to help me as I get used to my…my new job. I know I will never be a genius like Doctor Gaster was but I will be kinder and…I will try to help the humans who are vulnerable and downtrodden.”

“Hear, Hear!” Sans called out enthusiastically, he downed his champagne and the others followed suit. The party was breaking into loud conversations but Asgore put up his hand and soon the room was quiet. He gestured towards the door and soon, Nurse Muffet came in holding the soul container that held Chara’s red soul and behind Muffet came Toriel, who carefully led Chara into the room.

“In light of what happened, Toriel and I have agreed to look after Chara.” Asgore said, solemnly. 

The room paused as all eyes went on the woman in question. Chara was cleaned up and wearing a new green and yellow dress, but her eyes were vacant. She merely stood still as instructed and looked at the crowd with indifference. Toriel bent to whisper in her ear and in turn, Chara smiled.

“Our former head doctor arranged for the madam of a local brothel to own her, but Toriel and I both agreed that despite her past actions, this would be a fate worse than death.” Asgore continued. “We will look after her and with Doctor Alphys’ help, we will find a way to restore her soul tether and perhaps, someday, return her soul to her body. It has never been done before but that does not mean we should not try. Too many humans in this asylum have had their soul tether severed, so it is time we learn to mend it and make things right. After all, the main goal at Ebott is rehabilitation.”

Sans studied Chara, looking deep into the eyes that no longer had sparks of life. Despite the smile pasted on her face, she did not speak. She did not react to Asgore’s words or the gentle nudging of Toriel. She was a living doll and it chilled him to the bone. Frisk almost had the exact same fate.

There was more applause, as Toriel and Asgore left the room. Chara followed behind, walking stiffly like a tin soldier, while the other monsters went to swarm around Alphys, all offering their congratulations. Undyne stood protectively nearby, keeping the overly enthusiastic drunk monsters from crowding the shy lizard as she stuttered out her thanks. Meanwhile, Papyrus patted the small monster on the back and offered his own sentiments, before returning to stand near Sans and Frisk.

“I DO HOPE YOU MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE, BROTHER.” Papyrus commented, “WHILE I AM SURE THAT ALPHYS WILL BE A GREAT HEAD DOCTOR, I THINK IT IS A SHAME THAT YOU ARE GIVING UP YOUR CHANCE TO DO SOMETHING GREAT TOO. DESPITE WHAT YOU TOLD OUR DAD, I KNOW YOU STILL WANT TO STAY IN THE MEDICAL FIELD. I JUST WORRY THAT YOU ARE GIVING UP ON YOUR DREAM. WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH YOUR TIME, NOW THAT YOU QUIT EBOTT ASYLUM?”

Sans smirked, looking at Frisk. “Oh…I think I can think of a few things that would keep me busy.”

At the suggestive tone, the young woman blushed. She smiled shyly and gave Sans’ hand a squeeze as Papyrus stared at them thoroughly puzzled. “It will be a surprise.” Frisk explained, “After we get married, we plan on setting up a small home in Snowdin, a little town just north of here. Once we are settled, we will write to you and tell you of our big plan…but it will take a little patience.”

“OH…I DID NOT KNOW THAT YOU WANTED TO MOVE AWAY.” Papyrus said, looking dejected, “I THOUGHT WE WOULD ALL JUST LIVE AT OUR HOME NEAR THE ASYLUM. I SUPPOSE IT CANNOT BE HELPED BUT WITH DAD IN PRISON AND YOU TWO NOW GETTING MARRIED, I WILL BE ALONE. NOT THAT I CANNOT HANDLE BEING ALONE BUT I HONESTLY FEAR THAT YOU BOTH WILL MISS MY EXCELLENT COMPANY!”

Sans smiled sadly at Papyrus. “I will miss ya bro, but this will be good for us. Frisk and I will need our space if we want our…plan to take place. However, it does not mean we will not visit. In fact, I will probably visit you every day and you can visit us at our place. I promise, it will be alright.”

Papyrus nodded and wiped a tear from his eye socket. “OKAY SANS, BUT I WILL STILL MISS YOU.”


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading my story. I hope you enjoyed it, as I enjoyed writing it.

The morning sun shone brightly as Frisk blinked open her eyes. Soft, white sheets were draped over her naked form as she lazily stretched in the queen-sized bed. She turned over and smiled at her husband, sleeping on the other side, his skull, face down in the pillow. His own bones were bare and he gave a groan when he felt her arms unravel from around him. “Mmmm…come back.” 

“I will be back; I just need to take a shower.” Frisk said reassuringly, “You know what day it is. Papyrus will be arriving soon. Remember? It was you who agreed to let him live with us, especially since Alphys and Undyne are going to take over your old house. You need to get ready too, Sans.”

Sans sighed, rolling over on his back and putting his hand to his forehead. “Oh…right. I almost forgot about that. I mean, I miss Papyrus too but I kinda gotten used to the privacy we have had.”

Frisk giggled, “Yes, it has been pretty nice.”

The young woman was about to head towards the bathroom, but on impulse, Sans quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her back onto the bed, curling his arms around her possessively. Frisk let out a squeak in surprise but she did not resist too hard. Instead she laughed good naturedly and curled into him, snuggling into the warmth that emanated from Sans’ soul, just under his ribcage. Undyne had been right about his magic, it really had surprised her. It surprised her when each kiss felt like sparks of heat against her lips. It surprised her when she felt his long tongue sweep across her skin and it surprised her the most, when she had felt the sudden weight of his member materialized and pressing into her stomach. Everything was cyan and it all glowed faintly whenever it was dark out.

“Sans…we cannot stay in bed all day.” She chided, “After last night, how do you have the energy?”

“For you sweetheart, I always have the energy.” He said smugly, “Please Frisk? At least one more time before my brother arrives? I know you want to…I can smell your desire. Do not deny it.” Sans started to nibble her neck and ever so gently, he pressed his pelvis against her hips, grinding against her naked body. “Please? We might not get another moment like this…just the two of us.”

The human moaned, barely able to focus. “Sans…you are making it so… hard to be responsible.”

“I will tell ya what else is hard.” The monster growled, “Come on…let’s see how many times I can make ya cum in this brief time that we have. The door is locked and we have at least an hour.”

Frisk gave an exasperated sigh. “Oh, very well…you win.”

Despite her reluctant tone, she was smiling and Sans did not waste any time. Soon her body became hot as Sans worshiped her naked flesh. After months of practice, the monster knew just where to touch, how hard to bite and every place that would make her squirm. He was a master at making her squirm. He grinned mischievously, cupping one breast in his hand and licking the other, slowly drawing his tongue over the sensitive skin and flicking her hardened nipples, completely fascinated by her aroused reaction by mere sensation. Frisk breath quickened as he touched her and the farther down, he went, the more she became excited. It was agonizingly slow but it was blissfully sweet.

“Be patient, sweetheart.” Sans scolded, his low voice rough, “Great things come to those who wait and when I am through with ya, you will be thinking of nothing but me and how much I love ya.”

“I…I already think of you o-often.” Frisk gasped, writhing under his tight hold as he slowly inched his way down her body. He nuzzled her lower stomach and peppered her thighs with sparks of hot magic that lingered with every kiss. He paused and looked up at her for a moment, smirking with satisfaction. His one eye glowed bright cyan and he stuck his tongue out, looking at her hungrily.

Sans slowed down considerably when he lay facing her dripping folds. Carefully, he reached out with his phalanges and gently touched the outside walls. He stroked her sex lovingly and his warm breath only furthered the effect as the woman tried in vain to get him where she desperately wanted. Frisk whimpered with need and it was enough to make him laugh. The monster teased her a little more before finally, he leaned forward to taste her. Sans dragged his tongue up from the center of her cunt and swirled it around her clit. Sucking on the sensitive nub, he felt the woman shiver and squirm and he worked diligently. She grasped at the bed sheets and arched her back as the orgasm flooded through her. She let out panting gasps and Sans, licked and licked before sitting up again.

The skeleton watched his wife in this moment of ecstasy and felt immense satisfaction at his work. She closed her eyes and breathed heavily, before finally looking at him with a smile. Her eyes were a bright, sunrise red and her short brown hair clung to her face. On an impulse, Sans tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “You are so beautiful, sweetheart.” He told her, his voice still rumbly and low, “The way ya move, the way ya sound, your intelligence, your kindness and that beautiful determination. Every day I feel like the luckiest person in the world that you are mine.”

“Oh, you and your shameless flirting!” Frisk said, pretending to be annoyed. “You were the one who saved me, remember? It is I who feels as if I am the luckiest person in the world, to land such a brave and compassionate husband like yourself. So, I think you are a little bit confused, my love.”

Sans shook his skull, “Nope, I am by far the luckier one. In fact, as your very…personal doctor, I think I should prescribe ya a new prescription. From now on, you are to be adored at all times with flattery and affection…if only to better your health. A kiss in the morning and a kiss at night and of course, some…supplementary medicine every day, if only to keep my wife content. Hysteria is a serious condition; we can’t have your womb start wandering the room. What would people say?”

Frisk gave a snort of laughter. “Oh, no! I think my womb is starting to travel…please help me doctor. I…I am having…naughty thoughts. You…b-better help me. I need you, my dear beloved.”

Giggling happily, she climbed on top of her husband and spread her legs over his pelvis. Grinding against his cyan erection, she rode the monster as he gasped and groaned alongside her, the two of them moving and rocking together in sync. Soon they felt the rising feeling of pleasure rushing up to overtake them as they both cried out, one cumming just seconds before the other before finally, Frisk rolled over and breathed heavily, curling into her husband’s warm body. Despite his bony appearance, he was surprisingly comfortable, his soul always much warmer after their copulation. 

Sans sighed contentedly, “Mmmm…that was nice. Alright, I am going back to bed. Goodnight!”

Pushing aside the covers, Frisk looked at her sleepy husband. “Sans, come on! Seriously, we need to get up now. What if Papyrus arrives and we are not ready? You know he likes to berate you for being lazy. What are you going to say if he demands an explanation for our tardiness? Papyrus hates waiting. So, I am going to take a shower now, so you better be presentable when I come out.”

The skeleton did not answer but Frisk paid him no mind. She walked around the room, throwing their discarded clothes from last night into the hamper. Once the floor was clear, she headed to the bathroom but on an impulse, she glanced back at her husband now fast asleep on their bed. Giving a defeated sigh, she turned on the water full blast and soon steam filled the room. As her body got used to the hot temperature, Frisk closed her eyes and let herself relax under the heavy stream of water. Her mind wandered sleepily but suddenly, she jolted when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

“Be careful sweetheart.” Sans whispered in her ear. “We do not want ya to slip and hurt yourself.”

Frisk opened her eyes and glared at the skeleton. “And who’s fault is that? How many times have I told you not to sneak up on me like that? You could have at least knocked on the bathroom door.”

Sans grinned mischievously, “What can I say? I heard ya turn on the shower, my bones are all sweaty from our tryst and ya know I cannot resist the extra time spent in your company. Come on, we both need to be clean and ya said yourself, we have a deadline…so, isn’t this more effective? This way we can be both be showered up at the same time. I can even wash your hair, sweetheart.”

“I suppose you do have a point.” Frisk said begrudgingly.

She passed him the soap and for a while they were silent, each lathering up the other while periodically taking turns and getting under the stream of water. Sans’ bony phalanges massaged Frisk’s head and she leaned into him, smiling with her eyes closed. “It’s hard to believe it’s been a year.” She murmured, “With everything that happened, sometimes I wake up and think I am still in Ebott Asylum. I remember how it felt to be dragged there by Arthur Ward and the way it felt to be nothing but a rebellious slave in his eyes. I sometimes fear that he will find us here in Snowdin.”

“Let him come.” Sans growled, “You are my wife…my family and I will defend you. I am stronger than some human male. In fact, I would take great pleasure if I could take revenge in your honor.”

Frisk giggled, “Let’s hope it does not come to that, but I appreciate the sentiment.”

They got out of the shower and wrapped themselves up in white fluffy towels. Suddenly there was a knock at the door and a timid voice came from the other side. “Doctor Bones? Mrs. Bones? I…I believe that Mr. Papyrus Bones has arrived. He mentioned that you were expecting him today? Should I bring him to the living room? He can wait there if you are not yet prepared to meet him.”

“Thank you, Alice, that would probably be best.” Sans sighed, now giving Frisk a knowing wink.

When the rabbit monster left, Frisk and Sans got out and preceded to get dressed. Using a towel, Frisk dried her dripping brown hair and grinned wryly. “I still cannot get used to the new name, it seems a bit too simple, don’t you think? It almost feels boring, considering our complicated past.”

“It’s supposed to be simple.” Sans reminded her, “I picked a common skeleton last name because we are trying to keep out of sight. The last thing we need is a bunch of unsavory characters coming to our oasis. We must think of our future and the multitude of patients we look after. They are even more vulnerable than we are. We must always protect them and be as inconspicuous as possible.”

Frisk smiled in agreement, “Yes, I suppose you are right. I prefer the name Bones over Fanshaw. I feel like in Snowdin I can be myself. I am not tied to some fallen nobility that treated me poorly.”

Sans smirked, “I could not agree more. I like it even better that we share the same last name now.”

The married couple chuckled in agreement as they left the room, heading down the stairs towards the living room where Papyrus was waiting. In the last few months, Papyrus had changed. He still wore his orange scarf but he now had an air of seriousness about him that had not been there before. However, despite his stern expression, the hat upon his skull reduced the effect and looked comical.

“BROTHER! SISTER IN LAW! I WAS WONDERING WHEN YOU WOULD COME DOWN!” Papyrus complained, “I WAS WAITING FOR A GOOD TWENTY MINUTES! IT IS RUDE TO KEEP YOUR GUESTS WAITING. I AM ASSUMING YOU SLEPT IN AGAIN, HUH, SANS?”

Sans exchanged a glance with Frisk, “Um…yeah…ya know me. I am a good citizen and I would never resist a rest! I would never live it down. In fact, I can even do it with my eye sockets closed.”

Frisk laughed at the jokes but Papyrus groaned, “I HOPED THAT YOU WOULD OUTGROW THE PUNS, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT YOU RUN A RESPECTABLE ESTABLISHMENT.”

“Aww, lighten up Papyrus.” Sans said, grinning. “You had a long ride in your…car? I have heard of those. You said that you bought one of those fancy automobiles in celebration of getting good grades on your first semester of University. What’s it even like? I have never been in a car before.”

Papyrus straightened up proudly, “DRIVING A CAR IS WONDERFUL! YOU SHOULD TRY IT SANS! MY PHALANGES GRIPPING THE WHEEL, THE WIND IN MY HAIR AND THE WHOLE WORLD IS SPEEDING BY AT 25 MILES PER HOUR! IT IS INCREDIBLY FAST!”

Sans snorted in amusement, “Ya don’t have hair, bro. Besides, isn’t 25 MPH a bit…exaggerated?”

The taller skeleton just ignored him, adjusting his hat and grinning at Frisk. “The hat looks just like the one Sherlock Holmes was wearing on the illustrated cover of the newest book! It is quite a collector’s item. Now monsters from all over will be jealous of my impressive university outfit.”

“It is very impressive!” Frisk said, admiring the two-flap hat. “You truly look like a scholar now. How is university treating you? Not too difficult, I hope. Sans told me that it was very exhausting.”

Papyrus crossed his arms defiantly, “OF COURSE, SANS THOUGHT UNIVERSITY WAS EXHAUSTING! HE THINKS WALKING ACROSS THE ROOM IS A TIRESOME AFFAIR! I HAVE JUST LEARNED THAT IN ORDER TO DO WELL, I SHOULD LIMIT MY SLEEPING TO THE BARE MINIMUM. LAZINESS DID NOT GET ME MY GRADES AND I HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO IF I AM TO FOLLOW IN DOCTOR ALPHYS’ FOOTPRINTS. THE HAT JUST PROVES THAT I AM DETERMINED TO GET THAT DEGREE, SOONER OR LATER.”

Frisk smiled in amusement, “Well, it is just as well that you are going to live here now. We can support you on your way to getting your doctorate. Do you want to see our facility first, while our nurses bring up your belongings? Sans and I are quite proud of the work we have done here in the year since we moved. We have had success story after success story, it is a remarkable experience.”

Papyrus looked as if he was thinking it over, before nodding. “ALRIGHT, LET US SEE THE FACILITY. FROM WHAT YOU HAVE TOLD ME OVER THE TELEPHONE, THIS ASYLUM IS THE FIRST OF IT’S KIND. IS IT TRUE THAT YOU SPECIALIZE IN THE HYSTERICS?”

The young woman walked towards the door, nodding her head towards the outside. “Come see for yourself but speak gently and make no sudden movements. The women can be fragile sometimes.”

Papyrus nodded and followed Frisk into the grassy area outside. Despite the town’s name and the cold climate, the sunshine was bright and cheerful. A few dozen women or so sat on lawn chairs, chatting amongst themselves, painting on easels or knitting quietly. Three more women were playing croquet with a young rabbit monster who smiled up at them, with one of his front teeth missing. Despite the casual environment, all the woman stared anxiously as Papyrus came forward.

“Do not worry, he is a friend.” Frisk said comfortingly, “He is very tall but he is a gentle monster.”

The young rabbit monster dropped his croquet mallet and hopped over to them, looking at Papyrus curiously, “Hello mister. What are you doing here? You look like Sans! Do you know each other?”

Papyrus puffed himself up. “SANS IS MY BROTHER. MIGHT I ASK, WHO ARE YOU? YOU ARE NOT A HUMAN AND YOU DO NOT LOOK HYSTERICAL. ARE YOU ILL, CHILD?”

“My mother Alice is the nurse here.” The rabbit child explained, “Frisk says I can stay, as long as I do not get underfoot. I play here with the monster kid who lives next door and the women do not mind, as long as we are not too loud. I also must try not to talk so much. Am I talking too much?”

“You are fine, Peter.” Frisk said, smiling indulgently, “But I am giving Papyrus a tour, so go on.”

Peter gave a shrug, “Okay…see ya later Papyrus. I am glad you are staying. I like your fancy hat!”

The rabbit boy went back to his game and the tall skeleton preened, fixing his hat self-consciously. “I KNEW THIS HAT WAS A GOOD ONE. I HAVE GOTTEN SO MANY COMPLIMENTS AND IT IS ONLY SATURDAY! THE PRAISE AND NOTORIETY ALONE IS IMPRESSIVE.”

“Peter is an excitable child but he has a good soul.” Frisk said, her voice gentle. “Papyrus, do you know why Sans and I made an asylum…specifically for women diagnosed with female hysteria?”

Papyrus looked like he was going to answer but then he shrugged, so Frisk continued. “Determined souls are the souls most likely to attract the attention of the public and earn the reputation of being hysterical. Apparently if a woman wants something that is deemed unreasonable or unbecoming, she is considered mentally ill. These women came from broken homes and wealthy homes. They were treated as burdens and on more than one occasion, scoundrels would try to bribe Sans and I to release them and let them be abused once more. My husband and I, we wanted this place to be the woman’s sanctuary. Just as it gave us freedom, we want to offer that freedom to our patients.” 

At that moment, Sans came out. He joined them and took Frisk’s hand. “I know this is not like Ebott Asylum, it is a little more casual…but Papyrus, people are happier here. They find healing.”

Wiping the tears from his eye sockets, the tall skeleton grinned. “YEARS AGO, I WOULD NOT HAVE BELIEVED IT BUT I SEE NOW THAT YOU HAVE BECOME A GREATER DOCTOR THAN I WOULD HAVE EVER IMAGINED! IT IS BECAUSE YOU CARE THAT I ADMIRE YOU. I WILL LEARN AND WHEN I RUN EBOTT ASYLUM, I WILL USE THIS METHOD.”

Sans just smiled, “Things are changing for the better and I am so proud of you. The future is ours.”


End file.
